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Methods: Using archival death certificates from 1954 to 1961, this study quantified the age-specific seasonal patterns, excess-mortality rates, and transmissibility patterns of the 1957 pandemic in Maricopa County, Arizona. By applying cyclical Serfling linear regression models to weekly mortality rates, the excess-mortality rates due to respiratory and all-causes were estimated for each age group during the pandemic period. The reproduction number was quantified from weekly data using a simple growth rate method and generation intervals of 3 and 4 days. Local newspaper articles from The Arizona Republic were analyzed from 1957-1958.
Results: Excess-mortality rates varied between waves, age groups, and causes of death, but overall remained low. From October 1959-June 1960, the most severe wave of the pandemic, the absolute excess-mortality rate based on respiratory deaths per 10,000 population was 17.85 in the elderly (≥65 years). All other age groups had extremely low excess-mortality and the typical U-shaped age-pattern was absent. However, relative risk was greatest (3.61) among children and young adolescents (5-14 years) from October 1957-March 1958, based on incidence rates of respiratory deaths. Transmissibility was greatest during the same 1957-1958 period, when the mean reproduction number was 1.08-1.11, assuming 3 or 4 day generation intervals and exponential or fixed distributions.
Conclusions: Maricopa County largely avoided pandemic influenza from 1957-1961. Understanding this historical pandemic and the absence of high excess-mortality rates and transmissibility in Maricopa County may help public health officials prepare for and mitigate future outbreaks of influenza.
The stability of cheerleading stunts is crucial to athlete safety and team success. Consistency in stunt technique contributes to success in stunting skills, giving a team the tools to win competitions. Increased stunt technique reduces the chances of falls and the severity of those falls. Proper technique also prevents injuries caused by improper positions that place pressure on the lower back and shoulders. Bases must maintain strong technique with proper lines of support in order to maximize stunt stability. Through exploration of the EmbeddedML system, involving a neural network implemented using a SensorTile, cheerleading motions can be successfully classified. Using this system, it is possible to identify motions that result in both weak and injurious positions almost instantly. By alerting athletes to these incorrect motions, improper stunt technique can be corrected quickly and without the involvement of a coach. This automated technique correction would be incredibly beneficial to the sport of competitive cheerleading