Compensation and Training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Compensation and Training - Essay Example America, the world’s largest economy, where the past decade a continuing bubble growing with continuous spending fueled by debts that suddenly burst when financial institutions that were supposed to generate money ended up producing even more debt (U.S. Treasury Department, 2009). The US government responded immediately to the threat of a global financial meltdown, gathering governments abroad and at the same time, was at the forefront of a Keynesian tactic of responding to impending depressions – increasing government spending. Hence, the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) was born. The idea behind this program is to empower government to use federal funds to directly inject financial support to institutions to keep the financial sector afloat. It aims to purchase troubled assets, consisting mainly of the products of the subprime mortgage crisis. To manage this program, the Office of Financial Stability under the Treasury Department was born. It has seven components namely: (1) mortgage-backed securities purchase program; (2) whole loan purchase program; (3) insurance program; (4) equity purchase program; (5) homeownership preservation; (6) executive compensation; and (7) compliance (Treasury Public Affairs, 2009). The law specifically defines important requirements for firms that apply for the TARP. Executive compensation has been one of the thorniest issues that have struck public outrage when troubled companies continue to allow for astronomical compensations for its chief officers (Treasury Public Affairs, 2009). Executive compensation is a corporate term that describes how the management of big corporations is paid. Over the past thirty years, there has been a dramatic increase in the compensation of CEOs and other officers, far beyond the levels of an average worker. Five basic tools for compensation include a base salary, short-term incentives and bonuses, long-term incentive plans, employee benefits and perquisites. The typical salary for CEOs

Analyzing Al-Qaeda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyzing Al-Qaeda - Essay Example Its associates have carried out attacks against prospects in a range of countries around the world, the most prominent being the September 11, 2001 attacks that were on the twin towers and the pentagon in New York and Northern Virginia. After the September 11 attacks, the United States government started a wide military and intelligence operation commonly known as the War on Terrorism, with the objective of dismantling al-Qaeda and killing or capturing its operatives and members. The leadership of this terrorist organization is held by Osama bin Laden, an active character in Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Second to him in the organization is Ayman al Zawahiri who is an Egyptian surgeon. Apart from this other regional leaders also exist. One senior al-Qaeda member, Muhammad Atef was killed in the U.S. air strikes in Afghanistan, and another top commander, Abu Zubaydah, was arrested in Pakistan in March 2002. In March 2003, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, and al-Qaeda's treasurer, Mustafa Ahmed al-Hawsawi were also captured in Pakistan. The Al Qaeda network basically extracts its funds and financing from extremists around the world and the Arab world that is rolling in money from oil exportation. When Soviet invasion in Afghanistan had to be stopped United States itself funded Osama bin laden, but since the first terrorist attacks the funding was stopped. INFRASTRUCTURE The organization does not operate from a single head quarter but from different locations and through different groups. Any terrorist act performed by the organization is accepted in a video tape usually launched after the activity. The organization has branches in hundred countries around the globe including the United States. Anti terrorist campaigns have successfully broken Al-Qaeda's cells in the United States, Albania, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, United Kingdom, and Uganda. PLANNING There are different planners for different activites, mostly people related to the region of the terrorist activity are selected for planning the terrorist activity that is going to take place. After the fall of the talibans in Afghanistan the main head quarters of Al Qaeda has been shattered and now the organization operates from different locations through out the world. Al Qaeda has targeted American and other Western interests, Jewish targets and Muslim countries it sees as corrupt or non religious plus the the Saudi monarchy. The list of attacks include. Bomb attacks on Madrid commuter trains, which killed nearly 200 people and resulted in more than 1,800 injuries. Car bomb attacks on three compounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Car bomb attack and an attempt that did not succeed to shoot down an Israeli plane with missiles, both in Mombasa, Kenya. Attack on a French tanker off the coast of Yemen. Many bombings in Pakistan Explosion of a fuel tanker in Tunisia. The major Hijacking attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Bombings of the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The main methods of attacking used are suicide bombing, planting bombs at locations and hijacking planes. The attacks have led to the death of millions of innocent people and have left a mark of terror on people,

The Evolution of Complex Societies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Evolution of Complex Societies - Essay Example This paper is trying to investigate the rise of different complex societies or civilizations in various regions of the world. One key technique of facilitating this investigation is to recognize the common features of these complex societies and the aspects that have influenced their development that can be distinguished from the archaeological evidence. The renowned authors have provided various methods with their theories for the advance of complex societies, such as the multiple effect theory. According to their works, innovations in one subsystem or aspect of culture boost and influence other cultural aspects via positive feedback. The authors argue that the cumulative impact of the interaction between these diverse subsystems due to these innovations is the emergence of civilization. This theory of multiplier effect in force is demonstrated by deducing the assortment of artifacts from the diverse cultures of the Aegean Bronze Age during the 3rd millennium BCE and examining seeds , animal bones, and architectural remnants collected from archaeological sites located in the area that date to this period. The authors’ explanation of the evolution of complex cultures during the Aegean period has persisted to dictate the way Aegean archaeologists approach this subject. Their ideas have widely endured the examination of Aegean archaeologists, raising the question of whether this theory can effectively explain the evolution of various diverse complex cultures worldwide. ... For instance, questions have been raised as to whether the theory can explain the complex societies that emerged in the lower Mississippi valley in the 2nd millennium BCE. This culture is most recognized by the huge earthworks in northeast Louisiana at Poverty Point. Examination of the archaeological data and artifacts of the Poverty Point society offers a positive answer to the questions raised. Despite the despite the immense differences between the societies in terms of their religion, art, architecture, and economics, the archaeological data point out this theory, as the authors explain (Stanish 2005). For a study of two such contrasting societies, that exist in very different surroundings, showing that they were influenced by the same exact processes, the theory offers students an instrument which they can connect to the archaeological data to assist them understand the universal influence that the evolution of complex societies had on human societies. This comparative approach has an additional instructional advantage in that students are able to expand their appreciation for the distinctive factors of each specific culture based on the artifacts that each society produced (Tainter 1988). As a result, in the process of studying one early complex society after another, students can discover to acknowledge how particular kinds of relics expose similar practices at work in the evolution of complex societies and the diversity in these societies. This comparative approach can be demonstrated by first identifying the main factors that characterize a complex society as categorized by the two authors. The authors use the neutral terms "simple" and

Criticall review for secure Database Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Criticall review for secure Database - Essay Example One of the reasons for not implementing secured databases is the improper design that does not act in accordance to organizational security policies. This document presents the importance of database security and critically reviews the various reasons for improper security implementation. Moreover, the document provides comprehensive analysis of the techniques and strategies are being utilized to overcome the database security issues (Abramov, Anson, Dahan, Shoval and Sturm, 2012). Database Security The database security is concerned with the unauthorized access or misuse of the authorized user which leads to the leakage of personal or potential information. A database is said to be a reliable data storage source if it does not compromise on confidentiality (data security), integrity (the correctness of data) and availability. The integrity of data is dependent on the data gathering and storing process, moreover, if the database could be accessed by unauthorized users can influence t he correctness of data. ... Moreover, the data can be made secure by the application security and database integrity controls (Oracle, 2003). Logical and Physical Database Security The Elmasri and Navathe in 2004 a methodology have been introduced for developing a database design. The database designing methodology has following three (3) main phases include: the Conceptual database design, Logical database design, and Physical database design. As the objective of this document s to present a review of the database security concerns for avoiding illegal access, therefore, the document limits the discussion to the logical database design phase. In order to implement the security policies, the logical database design is the most critical phase. The database security can be implemented while designing the database and developing the software application. There are certain techniques need to be implemented for the development of a secured database. One of the techniques is the general security specification techniq ue that can be implemented using Unified Modeling Language (UML) use cases. In order to implement the user privileges the database designer needs to implement the access control specification technique. One of the limitations of these techniques include these methods do not have provisions to tackle the organizational security policy. Keeping in view the limitations, a new security model has been suggested in which the database designers can implement the organizational security policy patterns which would be implemented while application development. In the design phase the database designers can develop security constraints following organizational policy. The

Individual Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Individual Project - Assignment Example Many states in the US adopt different minimum wage laws and as such some may be lower or higher than that prescribed by the Federal minimum wages. The law states that â€Å"when an employee is under both the state and federal minimum wage law, the employee is entitled to receive the higher of the two minimum wages. In this case, Maxim is following the correct guideline of paying the minimum wage of $8.50 per hour. 2. The term exempt employees are categorized under the Fair Labor Standards Act as those receiving salary of not less than $455 per week. Exempt employees according to job titles, are the executives, administrative, professional, computer and outside sales employees who receive compensation of $455 a week or $100,000 a year(Chamberlain, Kaufman & Jones, n.d.) Under the guidelines of the FLSA, the sales associates of Maxim are classified under the non-exempt category because they are inside sales employees, and they still receive $340 a week only ($8.50 x 40 hrs.). Maximâ⠂¬â„¢s Department Supervisors can be classified as exempt employees because they perform supervision over the sales staff and their wage rate amounts to $14.25 per hour, equivalent to$570 a week. The FLSA said that a Supervisor is someone who is doing high level work. It is assumed here, that the Department Supervisors of Maxim may perform either one of the following duties prescribed in the FLSA: interviewing, selecting, and training employees; setting rates of pay and hours of work; maintaining production or sales records (beyond the merely clerical); appraising productivity; handling employee grievances or complaints, or disciplining employees; determining work techniques; planning the work; apportioning work among employees; determining the types of equipment to be used in performing work, or materials needed; planning budgets for work; monitoring work for legal or regulatory compliance; providing for safety and security of the workplace. 3. According to the SSS online, the late st cost of living salary adjustment that becomes effective on December 2011 is 3.6 percent for Social Security benefits and SSI payments. Investopedia defines Costs of Living Adjustment (COLA)† as an adjustment made to social security and supplemental income in order to adjust benefits to counteract inflation†. COLA is usually based on the consumer price index for urban wager earners and wage earners. The average consumer price index as of December 2011 is 3.6 percent (SSS On line) The WEST CPI is 3.4 percent as of October 2011(Bureau of Labor Statistics) Based on this information, computation of the CPI is shown as follows Average consumer price index 3.6 percent West CPI 3.4 percent Difference 0.2 percent Adjustments in COLA took effect in 1975 and do not remain the same for each year. For 2012, SSS online, calculates the maximum monthly Federal amounts for an eligible individual $698, for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse $ 1,048 and for an essential pers on $3350 In this context, the Average Consumer price index as computed by the SSI should be followed. 4. The index of job classes in Portland does not provide an exact job title for Sales Associate and Department Supervisor. (Listing of job classes, 2011) However, similar level of jobs exist in in

The Case of the Sole Remaining Supplier Essay Example for Free

The Case of the Sole Remaining Supplier Essay With advances in technology always come skepticism, fears, and doubts. But when the new technology in question is designed to address a very sensitive issue—like human life—it becomes even more of a challenge. However, the challenge is not the development of the technology itself, but in the ethics that surround it. As it would become today, the pacemaker is a true gift to those whose hearts cannot function properly on their own, and it allows people suffering from such a condition to enjoy life a little more. But problems arise when complications and deaths due to failures become apparent. However, it absolutely does not qualify as a reason to stop supporting pacemaker manufacturers altogether.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are two problems to be addressed.   First, as mentioned in the case, most members of the board of the transistor-making company outsourced by the pacemaker company want to pull out, because they are afraid to be recipients of blame if more deaths occur due to the pacemakers. This is a classic example of conflict of interest—the board, rather than help the development of the pacemaker, wishes instead to wash their hands of any future mishaps that might occur due to faulty products. Without even going into the problem of the technology itself, this action is already an ethical violation when it comes to business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another problem is that the members of the board fail to realize that by not helping the pacemaker company, one of two things can happen: either pacemaker production grinds to a halt—at the expense of people who need them—or the pacemaker company, in desperation, might hire a sub-par company to manufacture transistors, or they start manufacturing it themselves; either decision will not improve the quality of the pacemakers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since the answer to the question of â€Å"what would you do?† is a definite â€Å"yes†, the chairman should look at all the possible, yet ethical and just, options. The case mentions that the chairman himself feels that the specs being used by the pacemaker company to test the transistors is faulty. It would be a good start to let the pacemaker company know about this, so that they may do something about it. If they improve the speculations and become able to properly test the transistors, then the board might start worrying less about failure rates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The chairman could also try to persuade the pacemaker company to invest in further research and development, citing the failures that have occurred in the past, before making the devices available to the public. It might cost more for the pacemaker company, but it will be beneficial in the long run for both companies and for patients. Once the pacemaker company perfects their product, the transistor company can supply them once again with the necessary part.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The above suggestions, however, are not guaranteed ways to solve the situation. If all else fails and the transistor company’s board wishes to continue serving their own best interests first, then the chair should leave the company as a last resort, on the grounds of bad business ethics, if he wishes to remain in good moral standing. Then, if he wishes, he can create a new company, one whose members are willing to contribute to the progress of technology without doubts. Otherwise, he can join the pacemaker company, hire new employees, and produce transistors from within the pacemaker company itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Life-sustaining and sensitive technologies, such as the pacemaker, may present some difficulties during its infant years, but everyone has to learn from mistakes. The pacemaker company has been irresponsible for using such low specs, and the transistor company’s board is being selfish and cowardly. This is why the chairman should not stop producing transistors for the pacemaker company, but he must do so while addressing the issues of both companies using the suggestions stated above. References â€Å"The Case of the Sole Remaining Supplier.†

Theories of Fatigue: Football Case Study

Theories of Fatigue: Football Case Study What are the key theories of fatigue, how does it develop throughout the course of a game in footballers and what are its implications on  injury risk? Introduction Everyone experiences fatigue, and many of us have felt fatigue associated feelings of tiredness, lethargy and slowed reactions it in the context of sport and exercise. Fatigue represents a key limiting factor for performance in sportspeople, and it is therefore a very important topic in Sports Medicine. With this essay, I hope to provide an interesting introduction to the field of fatigue and to demonstrate its importance in sport. The physiological processes underlying the development of fatigue are complex and still widely debated. Nevertheless, I aim to discuss some key theories of the contributing central and peripheral mechanisms, their merits, and how they have developed over time. I will describe how fatigue effects footballers as a match progresses and in doing this, introduce some methods used to monitor the activity of footballers during a game and perhaps prevent injuries. To further highlight the impact of fatigue in sport, I will end by giving evidence that fatigue incre ases the risk of injury and an important example of how this might occur. Theories of Central Fatigue Central Fatigue (CF) describes processes occurring within the Central Nervous System, resulting in a reduced rate of firing by alpha motor neurones to skeletal muscle, and can be summarised as an impaired motor drive.1 Strong evidence suggests that central mechanisms play a greater role than peripheral mechanisms in fatigue caused by low-intensity exercise.2,3,4 A study published in 20072 illustrates the reduced motor drive caused by CF in low-intensity exercise particularly well. Despite having a relatively low participation of 18, I think it is worth highlighting as it exhibited tight control of unwanted variables. Low-intensity contractions were performed at 20% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and high-intensity contractions at 80% of MVC. Participants were randomised between these two groups and required to perform their respective fatiguing task until failure, which unsurprisingly took longer for low-intensity contractions. Precautions were taken to isolate the elbow flex ors including strapping of the shoulder, and neither the subjects nor investigators were informed of their time to task failure as it occurred. Voluntary activation the increase in force when an electrical stimulus is delivered to a muscle during an MVC was measured before and after each task. Voluntary activation gives an indication of neural drive and was reduced after both tasks, indicating that CF had affected the elbow flexors. However, the reduction in VA was greater after low-force contractions (14%), suggesting a more significant CF impact than after high-force contractions (5%). In addition, the authors used Electromyography to measure levels of electrical activity in the elbow flexor muscles during and after each fatiguing task. Levels of electrical activity were increased, but measured less after the low-force task, again supporting the theory that CF is primarily responsible for task failure during lower intensity exercise. A key first hypothesis of the mechanism behind CF, the Serotonin-Hypothesis, was outlined in a 1987 paper.5 The authors predicted that during exercise, supra-physiological levels of serotonergic activity in the brain were the cause of lethargy and loss of drive during prolonged exercise. This link has been investigated, and it has been shown in rats that a reduced run-time to exhaustion is observed when a general Serotonin antagonist (Quipazine Dimaleate) is administered.6 This effect was not replicated when a Serotonin antagonist restricted to the periphery (Xylamidine Tosylate) was administered. This finding adds weight to the theory that serotonergic activity in the brain, and not in the periphery, plays a role in CF. The mechanism by which exercise causes increased levels of Serotonin is thought to be due to influences it has on the uptake process of Serotonin precursor, Tryptophan, across the blood-brain barrier (BBB).1 More recently, evidence has emerged through studies of amph etamine use 7,8 that dopamine also plays an important role in CF. For example, two papers have shown that a low dose of amphetamine increases endurance in fatigued rats, with endurance being assessed by measuring swimming time and treadmill time to exhaustion.7,8 The mechanism for Dopamines role in CF is not completely clear, but its involvement in motivation and reward could be significant.1 The modern theory of CF incorporates all of the above findings, suggesting that an exercise-induced increase in the ratio of Serotonin to Dopamine in the brain is responsible for feelings of lethargy during prolonged exercise.9 If correct, this means that there is the potential to artificially manipulate brain neurotransmitter levels, postpone the onset of CF and boost levels of performance. Unsurprisingly, given the potential benefits to sports medicine, a lot of research has been done investigating whether the impact of CF in exercise can be reduced. Management of nutrition can be used to artificially manipulate neurotransmitter levels. A number of studies have investigated the administration of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), which compete with Serotonin precursor Tryptophan for transport across the BBB, on prolonged exercise performance. One such study investigated whether administering a mixture of BCAA to participants during a 30km or 42.2km race could improve race times.10 Unfortunately, the studys field-based nature meant there was a lack of control over participants during the race. Nevertheless, the authors found that running performance was significantly improved in marathon runners (42.2km) who normally ran at a slower pace, completing the race in 3.05-3.30 hours. Runners who normally posted a faster time of under 3.05h showed no significant improvement, l eading to the authors suggestion that these runners had developed resistance to feelings of CF. This is a fascinating proposition which, if its mechanism can be understood properly, could lead to targeted fitness training for professional sportspeople to overcome the effects of CF. I havent been able to find any papers investigating this and believe it would be an interesting topic for future research. As well as managing nutrition, pharmacological manipulation of neurotransmitter levels has been attempted using Serotonin reuptake inhibitors11 and Serotonin Receptor antagonists.12 These papers, along with those investigating nutritional management, struggle to provide a clear consensus regarding the mechanism of Central Fatigue and more robust studies are needed before we can state beyond doubt the roles of Serotonin and Dopamine. Theories of Peripheral Fatigue Peripheral Fatigue (PF) describes processes taking place within a muscle, which reduce its capacity to exert force. It is considered responsible for task failure in high-intensity exercise,13 including most exercises performed to build strength. In exercise with high-energy demands on a muscle, anaerobic glycolysis occurs producing lactate. Rates of lactate synthesis outstrip its rate of conversion back to glucose, causing lactate build-up and a shift in equilibrium favouring lactic acid production. Many factors have been suggested as responsible for PF, with early theories citing lactic acidosis as the probable cause,14 although scepticism surrounding this link has since emerged.15,16 A good example of this scepticism is a study which used the Yo-yo intermittent recovery test to observe changes in muscle lactate levels and PH, along with other physiological responses, when exercising to exhaustion.16 Participants were asked to run 20m back and forth at progressively increased speeds , until fatigue caused them to twice fall short of the finishing line. Those who had muscle biopsies were sampled on two occasions. During a first run, all 13 were biopsied after exhaustion, with 7 participants also being biopsied at rest beforehand. During a second run on a different occasion, the remaining 6 participants were biopsied at what was calculated to be 90% of their time to exhaustion. The aim of this comparative measure was to observe any change in metabolite levels in the time between 90% and 100% exhaustion. As expected, muscle lactate levels increased eightfold after exhaustion (51.2  ± 7.6 mmol ·kg-1) compared to rest (6.8  ± 1.1 mmol ·kg-1), and the muscle was more acidic at exhaustion (PH: 6.98  ± 0.04) than at rest (PH: 7.16  ± 0.03). However, there was no observed change in either measurement between 90% and 100% of exhaustion. It should be noted that the samples of only 7 participants were measured for this comparison a nd a larger participation would have produced even more reliable results. Nevertheless, it is hard to ignore the number of other studies with similar findings15,17 and accordingly, lactic acidosis is no longer considered a determining factor for developing PF. That is not to say that it doesnt play a smaller role in PF, in combination with other mechanisms. For example, some evidence suggests that acidosis reduces myofibrillar sensitivity to Ca2+ as H+ ions also compete for binding with Troponin C.18 A more popular theory is that Inorganic Phosphate levels are a determining factor for PF. During skeletal muscle activity, Creatine Phosphate (CP) is broken down as part of a process generating ATP, leading to reduced concentrations in exercising muscle. A review of the relevant literature estimated that intense periods of exercise during football matches causes levels of CP to fall by 40%.19 This estimate came after considering the time delay between exercise and biopsy in which resynthesis of CP will take place. Dephosphorylation of CP unsurprisingly leads to increased levels of inorganic Phosphate (Pi) in muscle cells, and this has been shown to correlate with fatigue. One study electrically stimulated the human Tibialis Anterior muscle to induce fatigue and investigate how levels of metabolites changed in relation to reduced contractile force.20 A pneumatic cuff was used to keep the muscle ischaemic, based on the assumption that this would prevent metabolite levels changing betwe en contractions and measuring of metabolites using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS). Metabolites were measured at rest and after 3, 10, 15 and 20 induced contractions. The authors found that force declined to 63% of initial force after 20 contractions. Levels of Pi increased just over fivefold after 20 contractions (29.6 m.moles per litre of intracellular water) compared to at rest (5.6 mmoles) and Figure 1 demonstrates the correlation observed between Pi concentration and Force. Another study used genetically modified mice lacking Creatine Kinase (CK), which catalyses the reaction responsible for regenerating CP, in their skeletal muscle.21 This provided a good model for further investigating the association between Pi and fatigue. Skeletal muscle fibres from the genetically modified mice had a higher Pi concentration at rest compared to wild-type fibres and generated a significantly lower force upon electrical stimulation of tetanus. Additionally, they displayed no significan t reduction in force even after 100 induced tetanic contractions, whereas force was reduced to 2+ in the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum,22 meaning less Ca2+ is available for release during force production. The two suggested mechanisms for this are that either high levels of Pi inhibit uptake of Ca2+ by the SR,23 or that Pi enters the SR and precipitates with Ca2+.24 How fatigue develops over the course of a game in footballersA couple of techniques are used to collect data on footballers activity patterns throughout a match. GPS and accelerometer technology can be worn by players during matches to collect data on their locomotor activities.25 Alternatively, it is possible to analyse film of players and use computerised coding to discern their activity patterns to a high degree of accuracy and reproducibility.26 A 2003 study adopting this technique filmed eighteen top-level professional footballers over 129 matches, along with 24 footballers of a moderate standard.27 The authors recorded the frequency and duration of various levels of activity, which were categorised according to speed, and presented the data for every 5, 15, 45 and 90 minutes. This allowed them to compare different stages of the match and pinpoint when levels of athletic performance changed. As well as this, lots of comparisons were made between players of different standards an d playing positions which, whilst interesting, arent wholly relevant to the topic of fatigue. Top-level footballers ran for longer periods at both low and high intensities, and covered more distance in the first half (5.51  ± 0.10km) compared to the second half (5.35  ± 0.09km) of matches. Figure 2 gives a good visualisation of how distances covered during high-intensity running were unevenly distributed between halves. Distance covered whilst sprinting for top-level footballers was 43% less in the last 15 minutes than the first 15 minutes. Arguably, this could be put down to the fact that the outcome of matches had already been decided as the last 15 minutes approached. However, this is unlikely to be the case because the majority of matches observed had a score difference of only one goal or less approaching this stage, meaning neither team could afford to deliberately lower their intensity. It was also found that substitutes, in comparison to those playing the entir e match, undertook 25% more high-intensity running and 63% more sprinting during the last 15 minutes, presumable because they were not fatigued. A 2016 study which used GPS and accelerometer data, presented findings similar to the 2003 study when they observed a significant decrease in locomotor efficiency towards the end of each half in English Championship U21 footballers.25For this study, investigators used a new unit called PlayerLoadà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ per meter, suggesting that it gives a good representation of locomotor efficiency and may, therefore, be useful for informing decision making before or within a match. For example, squad rotation or training regime decisions could be made base on the locomotor efficiency shown by a player during training or a previous game. This is an example of a very important area of Sports Medicine which is the prevention of injuries by properly managing players outside of match-play. Overall, we can clearly see that footballers become fatigued t hroughout the course of a match, which Id like to suggest may be due to the gradual onset of CF. The authors of the 2003 study also wanted to establish whether a temporary fatigue effect existed.27 To do this, they identified 5 minutes over which each player covered their peak distance in high-intensity running, representing their most taxing period of exercise for each match. In the 5 minutes following this, on average, each player performed 12% less high-intensity running that the average for all 5 minute periods. This demonstrates that players are affected by a temporary fatigue within matches, potentially because they are experiencing PF induced by a period of very high-intensity exercise. The implications fatigue on injury risk Injuries represent a huge challenge for professional sports clubs, as players are rendered unavailable for selection whilst also costing money in wages. This problem is well illustrated by the fact that over 15 seasons for 50 elite football clubs, the average proportion of a squad available for match selection has consistently been below 90%.28 A number of huge epidemiological studies have been set up to investigated the incidence and nature of injuries in professional footballers, 28,29 the most prominent being the UEFA Elite Club Injury Study which is updated every season. Over the 2015/16 season, injury data from 29 clubs comprising of an average of 59 matches and 218 training sessions per team was analysed. Over this period, the study found that that on average 0.6 matches and 2.1 training sessions were missed per player per month due to injury. Data from the UEFA Elite Club Injury Study can be used to analyse patterns of injury occurrence during matches. There is an increasing incidence of injuries occurring over time in both halves of football matches, a trend observed in the three most common injury types: strains, sprains, and contusions.28 This strongly correlates with the pattern by which fatigue has been shown to develop over the course of a game,25.27 and it is fair to say that fatigue almost definitely the cause of this increased incidence. A more specific example of how fatigue impacts injury risk can be seen in a 2009 study, set out to establish a link between fatiguing mechanisms and an increased risk of injury to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) of the knee.30 ACL injury is particularly devastating for a footballer, not least because of its long-term impacts. A follow up of 176 top level footballers in Sweden who had suffered ACL injuries, found that only 30% were still playing after three years compared to 80% in a control group.31Participation in the 2009 study30 was by 20 female student-athletes who had no history of previous injury to the knee or lower extremities. The biomechanics of participants lower limb joints were recorded as they performed randomly ordered, unanticipated jump landings, according to a light stimulus activated just after take-off. They then underwent a fatiguing task consisting of three single leg squats, after which biomechanics were recorded again. This cycle was continued until participants could no longer perform the three single leg squats unassisted, indicating maximal fatigue. Fatigue elicited a number of changes to biomechanics, importantly including a reduction in knee flexion and an increase in the angle of knee rotation, which promote the risk of ACL injury. Conclusion The importance Serotonin and Dopamine in controlling CF onset has emerged over time. A developed theory of CF is yet to be proven beyond doubt, despite there being lots of research investigating it. This could be because it is difficult, especially in humans, to structure a study with tight control over the levels of multiple neurotransmitters in the brain. It is also possible that there are more factors contributing to CF which are yet to be identified or supported by evidence. It has been suggested that resistance to CF can be developed through training, which could prove useful to Sports Medicine if investigate further. An early theory involving the build-up of lactic acid in muscle playing a key role in PF has been widely rejected by the scientific, but there is lots of evidence pointing towards increased levels of Pi being a determining factor. Ultimately, PF is probably a combined response to a number of intramuscular mechanisms. Some more potential contributors to this which I have not had a chance to touch upon include depleted glycogen levels in muscle32and altered muscle fibre membrane potentials.33 The influence that fatigue has on sporting performance is significant and can be clearly observed over the course of football matches. Tools exist, including measures of a players locomotor efficiency, which play an important role in preventing injury due to fatigue. Whilst there is evidence that fatigue has an impact on cognitive abilities,34,35 there are no studies I am aware of which investigate this in a footballing or sporting context. It would be interesting to see if there is a relationship between fatigue and the quality of a players decision making. Epidemiological studies have shown that there is a clear correlation between the onset of fatigue in football matches and a spike in incidences of injuries. There are many examples of injuries for which fatigue is a significant risk factor, with one example being ACL damage. This essay should provide a useful introduction to different areas of interest involving fatigue, all of which can be researched further. References Meeusen R, Watson P, Hasegawa H, Roelands B, Piacentini M. Central Fatigue: The Serotonin Hypothesis and beyond. Sports Medicine. 2006;36(10):881-909. Yoon T, Schlinder Delap B, Griffith E, Hunter S. Mechanisms of fatigue differ after low- and high-force fatiguing contractions in men and women. Muscle Nerve. 2007;36(4):515-524. Gauche E, Couturier A, Lepers R, Michaut A, Rabita G, Hausswirth C. Neuromuscular fatigue following high versus low-intensity eccentric exercise of biceps brachii muscle. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. 2009;19(6):481-486. ZajƦc A, Chalimoniuk M, GoÅ‚aņº A, Lngfort J, Maszczyk A. Central and Peripheral Fatigue During Resistance Exercise A Critical Review. Journal of Human Kinetics. 2015;49(1):159-69. Newsholme EA, Acworth I, Blomstrand E. Amino acids, brain neurotransmitters and a function link between muscle and brain that is important in sustained exercise. Advances in Myochemistry. 1987:127-33. Bailey S, Davis J, Ahlborn E. Serotonergic Agonists and Antagonists Affect Endurance Performance in the Rat. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 1993;14(06):330-333. Bhagat B, Wheeler N. Effect of amphetamine on the swimming endurance of rats. Neuropharmacology. 1973;12(7):711-713. Gerald M. Effects of (+)-amphetamine on the treadmill endurance performance of rats. Neuropharmacology. 1978;17(9):703-704. Davis J, Bailey S. Possible mechanisms of central nervous system fatigue during exercise.. 1997;29(1):45-57. Blomstrand E, Hassman P, Ekblom B, Newsholme E. Administration of branched-chain amino acids during sustained exercise effects on performance and on plasma concentration of some amino acids. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology. 1991;63(2):83-88. Wilson W, Maughan R. Evidence for a possible role of 5-hydroxytryptamine in the genesis of fatigue in man: administration of paroxetine, a 5-HT re-uptake inhibitor, reduces the capacity to perform prolonged exercise. Experimental Physiology. 1992;77(6):921-924. Pannier J, Bouckaert J, Lefebvre R. The antiserotonin agent pizotifen does not increase endurance performance in humans. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology. 1995;72(1-2):175-178. Froyd C, Millet G, Noakes T. The development of peripheral fatigue and short-term recovery during self-paced high-intensity exercise. The Journal of Physiology. 2013;591(5):1339-1346. Allen DG, Westerblad H, Là ¤nnergren J. The role of intracellular acidosis in muscle fatigue. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1995;384(1):57-68. Bangsbo J, Juel C. Counterpoint: lactic acid accumulation is a disadvantage during muscle activity. J Appl Physiol. 2006;100(4):1412-1413. Krustrup P, Mohr M, Amstrup T, Rysgaard T, Johansen J, Steensberg A et al. The Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test: Physiological Response, Reliability, and Validity. Medicine Science in Sports Exercise. 2003;35(4):697-705. Bangsbo J, Graham T, Kiens B, Saltin B. Elevated muscle glycogen and anaerobic energy production during exhaustive exercise in man. The Journal of Physiology. 1992;451(1):205-227. Shiraishi F, Yamamoto K. The Effect of Partial Removal of Troponin I and C on the Ca2+-Sensitive ATPase Activity of Rabbit Skeletal Myofibrils1. The Journal of Biochemistry. 1994;115(1):171-173. Bangsbo J, Iaia F, Krustrup P. Metabolic Response and Fatigue in Soccer. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2007;2(2):111-127. Jones D, Turner D, McIntyre D, Newham D. Energy turnover in relation to slowing of contractile properties during fatiguing contractions of the human anterior tibialis muscle. The Journal of Physiology. 2009;587(17):4329-4338. Dahlstedt A, Katz A, Westerblad H. Role of myoplasmic phosphate in contractile function of skeletal muscle: studies on creatine kinase-deficient mice. The Journal of Physiology. 2001;533(2):379-388. Kabbara Allen D. The role of calcium stores in fatigue of isolated single muscle fibres from the cane toad. The Journal of Physiology. 1999;519(1):169-176. Characteristics of phosphate-induced Ca(2+) efflux from the SR in mechanically skinned rat skeletal muscle fibers. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2000;278(1):126-135. Fryer M, Owen V, Lamb G, Stephenson D. Effects of creatine phosphate and P(i) on Ca2+ movements and tension development in rat skinned skeletal muscle fibres. The Journal of Physiology. 1995;482(1):123-140. Barrett S, Midgley A, Reeves M, Joel T, Franklin E, Heyworth R et al. The within-match patterns of locomotor efficiency during professional soccer match play: Implications for injury risk?. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2016;19(10):810-815. Krustrup PBangsbo J. Physiological demands of top-class soccer refereeing in relation to physical capacity: effect of intense intermittent exercise training. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2001;19(11):881-891. Mohr M, Krustrup P, Bangsbo J. Match performance of high-standard soccer players with special reference to development of fatigue. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2003;21(7):519-528. UEFA Union of European Football Associations. UEFA Elite Club Injury Study: 2015/16 season report. Nyon, Switzerland: UEFA; 2016. Ekstrand J, Hà ¤gglund M, Waldà ©n M. Epidemiology of Muscle Injuries in Professional Football (Soccer). The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2011;39(6):1226-1232. Mclean S, Samorezov J. Fatigue-Induced ACL Injury Risk Stems from a Degradation in Central Control. Medicine Science in Sports Exercise. 2009;41(8):1662-1673. Roos H, Ornell M, Gà ¤rdsell P, Lohmander L, Lindstrand A. Soccer after anterior cruciate ligament injury- an incompatible combination? A national survey of incidence and risk factors and a 7-year follow-up of 310 players. Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica. 1995;66(2):107-112. Ørtenblad N, Westerblad H, Nielsen J. Muscle glycogen stores and fatigue. The Journal of Physiology. 2013;591(18):4405-4413. Green H. Membrane Excitability, Weakness, and Fatigue. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology. 2004;29(3):291-307. Fà ©ry Y, Ferry A, Hofe A, Rieu M. Effect of Physical Exhaustion on Cognitive Functioning. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 1997;84(1):291-298. Abd-Elfattah H, Abdelazeim F, Elshennawy S. Physical and cognitive consequences of fatigue: A review. Journal of Advanced Research. 2015;6(3):351-358.