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Physiology

Conference on role of livestock in food security begins at SKUAST-K – Brighter Kashmir

A three-day national conference and symposium on Technology Driven Physiological Capacity Building in Livestock for Food Security and Sustainability commenced Tuesday at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar campus here.The 31st Annual Conference and Symposium of the Society of Animal Physiologists of India (SAPICON-2023) is organised by SKUAST-Ks Division of Veterinary Physiology, FVSc&AH Shuhama and SAPI. About 250 delegates from various agricultural universities, veterinary colleges and universities, ICAR institutions, and IITs from across the country are participating in the conference.Chief Secretary, J&K UT, Dr AK Mehta, virtually inaugurated the SAPICON-2023 and addressed the gathering as the chief guest. While congratulating SKUAST-K for hosting this important national conference, Dr Mehta said that J&K needs to be future-ready to provide solutions to all the food-related upcoming challenges. He said technology is the way forward for agriculture 4.0 and SKUAST-K has to play a pivotal role in providing the new tech-based solutions. Talking about the conference theme, he said, that 40% of the total income of the agriculture sector is going to come from livestock, therefore this cannot be ignored. He said to become self-sufficient in mutton, poultry, and milk production, there is a need for technology and knowledge-driven smart livestock farming. Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir A Ganai, in his inaugural address said that SKUAST-K has not only emerged as a premier institute of agricultural education and research accredited as the 6th best State Agriculture University. But it has already set foot to become the first innovation-led farm university in the country. Last year, SKUAST-K was categorised as the Band Excellent under the Atal Innovation ranking. He said the university has created an ecosystem for innovation and startup culture, visible as the university has been granted over a dozen patents and has registered 12 student and faculty startups in the past three years. He said there is a need to use available advanced technologies like IoT, AI & ML, and next-gen biotechnological tools in livestock farming to make it smarter, more efficient, resilient, eco-friendly and sustainable. Padamshree awardee and eminent veterinary physiologist, Prof ML Madan, who has been previously DDG Animal Sciences ICAR, lauded the efforts of the present dispensation and the scientific fraternity for the transformation of the university and the veterinary faculty at Shuhama. Later he delivered a talk in a technical session on, "Evolution of Sexuality and Designer Technology in Reproduction-the lost Gametes".

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Conference on role of livestock in food security begins at SKUAST-K - Brighter Kashmir

Physiology

Roles of the gut microbiome in weight management – Nature.com

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Roles of the gut microbiome in weight management - Nature.com

Physiology

Noted Science Scholar Stuart Dryer Earns 2023 Farfel Award – University of Houston

Longtime UH Biology Professor Receives UHs Highest HonorMay 4, 2023

ByMike Emery, 713-743-7197

Its not often that professors teach four different kinds of students but Stuart Dryer isnt your everyday professor. The Moores Professor at the University of Houston has shared his insights with undergraduates, graduate students, doctoral candidates and most recently, medical students.

Such versatility in classrooms and laboratories is matched by his research output and talents as a mentor. These are just some of the qualities that have earned Dryer, professor of biology and biochemistry, the 2023 Esther Farfel Award.

This award has been presented annually since 1979 and recognizes outstanding faculty members for teaching, service and research. It is the highest honor awarded to UH professors.

It feels really good to receive this award, Dryer said. The best thing about it is that I know several past recipients of the Farfel Award and have worked with them on committees and as a colleague. Its just very humbling to be in the same category as these people. It is very gratifying.

Dryer arrived at UH in 1997 after starting his academic career at Florida State University in 1988. The city of Houston, he said, was a big draw. The University, however, was the major selling point that inspired him to relocate from the Sunshine State to the Lone Star State.

He was initially approached by the late Greg Cahill, former associate professor of biology and biochemistry, about recommending someone to join a new program on biological clocks. Dryer, however, recommended himself and the rest as they say is history.

At UH, Dryer has successfully balanced teaching, research and serving as a mentor to aspiring scholars. His talents in these areas have earned him a Teaching Excellence Award and Research Award. They, also, are admired by both his peers and pupils. It also has kept Dryer energized and engaged during his 26 years at UH.

His deep involvement within the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics led to a role as department chair. For nearly nine years, Dryer guided the Department of Biology and Biochemistry. During that time, he was instrumental in growing its professoriate.

It was very gratifying to recruit new faculty, Dryer said. All of the professors that were hired while I was chair received tenure.

His time in this position also was marked by the development of the Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling and by growth of research within the department.

Dryer himself remains one of his departments most productive scholars with 110 refereed papers to his credit and more than 6,000 citations with an h-index of 49. His work in neurobiology, circadian rhythms and kidney disorders has extended off campus as well through partnerships in the Texas Medical Center (TMC).

His work on the physiology of kidney disorders came later in his career. He credits partnerships at TMC (particularly with Baylor College of Medicine) for supporting such critical research. Houston and its renowned medical facilities have been an invaluable platform for him and so many other UH faculty members, he said.

One of the great resources for faculty at UH is the Texas Medical Center, he said. We should take more advantage of it.

Now, UH has its own state-of-the-art medical school, the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. Dryer was among those who helped establish this important addition to the University in 2019. He also teaches at the college, helping prepare tomorrows physicians.

Dryer also has lent his insights and experience to guiding students within his own college, as well as junior faculty. During his esteemed career, the longtime professor has seen both pupils and professors flourish professionally. Their success is validating and inspiring for Dryer.

I like to see when people Ive worked with and mentored are more successful than I am, he said. Many of my former graduate assistants have had successful careers in the pharmaceutical industry. I am proud of the fact that Ive trained many Ph.D. students to become effective researchers in non-academic environments.

Dryer adds that he also takes great satisfaction in seeing former students accepted into medical school and other professional schools.

The number of first-generation students at UH is quite impressive, he said. When you see these students go on to become doctors and dentists and pharmacists, its a special moment.

While Dryer has guided students on their career trajectories, he fully credits the institution he calls home for supporting their academic and professional growth.

What I love about UH is the extent to which it is a tool for upward social mobility for our students, our city and the state of Texas, he said. I would argue there are few institutions in the United States that can match us in this area.

The Farfel Award is certainly a milestone for Dryer. He is proud of this award and his work at UH, but the seasoned scholar takes particular delight in being present for the Universitys ascension as a research institution and destination campus for students from around the globe.

It has been incredible to witness the tremendous increase in the reputation of the University itself, he said. Seeing the sheer growth of the campus how beautiful our campus has become over the years is truly remarkable. I really credit that to President Khator, as well as the energy and enthusiasm of our campus community. UH is really a special place, and I am beyond grateful to have spent the majority of my career here.

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Noted Science Scholar Stuart Dryer Earns 2023 Farfel Award - University of Houston

Anatomy

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star reveals battle with postpartum anxiety, severe PMS disorder – ABC News

In Camilla Luddington's role as Dr. Jo Wilson on "Grey's Anatomy," the actress was tasked with portraying a character who experienced mental health struggles, including a stay in a psychiatric facility.

Offscreen, Luddington is opening up about the mental health struggles she has experienced herself, including a battle with postpartum anxiety.

Luddington, a mom of two, said in a new interview with Wondermind, the Selena Gomez-backed mental fitness ecosystem, that she started therapy for the first time.

"I never felt like I needed to [undergo therapy], and then my daughter was born," Luddington said. "I now look back and realize I had postpartum anxiety, which I didn't know was a thing. I knew about postpartum depression, and I knew I didn't have that, but I had so much anxiety."

Luddington and her husband, actor Matt Alan, announced the birth of their daughter Hayden in April 2017. The couple announced the birth of their second child, a son named Lucas, in August 2020.

Monica Schipper/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Camilla Luddington attends PaleyFest LA 2023 on April 2, 2023 in Hollywood.

While some level of worrying is normal with a newborn, worries that turn irrational and incessant are signs of postpartum anxiety. Around 10% of postpartum women develop anxiety, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Despite its prevalence, there is no category for it in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Postpartum anxiety is most often grouped under postpartum depression, which affects about 1 in 7 women, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Luddington said that for her, anxiety manifests in physical conditions. She said that by working with a therapist, she has learned tools to help her cope.

"I can feel myself physically getting anxious, which is a vicious circle [because] it gives me more anxiety to feel the anxiety," Luddington said. "I feel anxiety, for example, in my feet. My feet start to tingle -- that's how I know I'm starting to get anxious. There are different parts of my body that I then start honing in on, like my heart racing."

"[My therapist] tells me to find a place in my body that feels neutral, and, the funny thing is, I always think of my butt. My butt is never racing like my heart or tingling like my feet or hands," she continued, laughing. "And actually honing in on that part of my body, or any part of [my] body that is not feeling the anxiety, is something that, in the moment, can kind of cool me down. ... I know it [might] sound funny to some people, but figuring out an area of my body that is not manifesting that physical anxiety really helps me."

After the birth of her second child in 2020, Luddington said she experienced another condition, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which she said she did not know about before it happened to her.

"I never really had PMS growing up. ... I hadn't suffered from depression before [either], so I didn't really understand what was going on. I just felt like there were times when, for a few days, I was just sad. Just depressed," Luddington said. "My son was born during COVID in August 2020, so I kind of chalked it up to, 'This is hard, this year's hard, there are a lot of sad things happening in the world, and I'm just having one of those days.'"

Luddington said she began to notice that her bouts of irritability and depression coincided with the start of her menstrual cycle, which prompted her to go her doctor for help.

"When I went to go see my [doctor], I said, 'I'm kind of noticing this happening every month,'" Luddington recalled. "I described my symptoms, and she said, 'Well, that's PMDD.' And I had never even heard of that before."

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder affects as many as 5% of women of childbearing age, according to the Office on Women's Health.

It is described as a condition similar to PMS but more severe in the symptoms it brings, including depression, thoughts of suicide, irritability, fatigue, anxiety and tension. Physical symptoms may include headaches, cramps, bloating, joint and muscle pain, insomnia and binge eating or food cravings.

PMDD happens in the week or two before a woman's period starts, according to the Office on Women's Health.

Exactly why PMDD occurs is not yet known, though it is suspected to have to do with hormonal changes. Serotonin levels, which also change during the menstrual cycle, may also play a role.

People who have a family history of depression, postpartum depression or other mood disorders may be more at risk for PMDD, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

When diagnosing PMDD, health care providers look for five or more PMDD symptoms, including a mood-related symptom, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

PMDD can be treated, which is why it is important to seek medical help.

Treatments can include everything from antidepressants and hormonal birth control to lifestyle changes like diet, exercise and stress-management tools, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Luddington said that for her, starting on a prescription antidepressant was helpful, after meeting with a psychiatrist.

"I went on Zoloft for the first time this year, which I think is important to talk about because I feel like there's still a stigma about medication," Luddington said. "I was nervous about going on it because I was like, I'm an actress. Can I still be in touch with my feelings? Will I be able to cry on camera? Will I feel different? Will I seem out of it? [But] honestly, it has been super amazing for me, and this is the first time I'm talking about it."

She added, "It definitely took away my PMDD, so I don't have that dip every month. But then, also, it just helped any general anxiety I have. I feel like I'm a lot less anxious."

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, substance use or other mental health crises, please call or text the new three digit code at 988. You will reach a trained crisis counselor for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org.

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'Grey's Anatomy' star reveals battle with postpartum anxiety, severe PMS disorder - ABC News

Anatomy

Significant variation in anatomy of human guts – Science Daily

New research finds there is significant variation in the anatomy of the human digestive system, with pronounced differences possible between healthy individuals. The finding has implications for understanding the role that the digestive tract's anatomy can play in affecting human health, as well as providing potential insights into medical diagnoses and the microbial ecosystem of the gut.

"There was research more than a century ago that found variability in the relative lengths of human intestines, but this area has largely been ignored since then," says Amanda Hale, co-first author of the study and a Ph.D. candidate at North Carolina State University. "When we began exploring this issue, we were astonished at the extent of the variability we found."

"If you're talking to four different people, odds are good that all of them have different guts, in terms of the relative sizes of the organs that make up that system," says Erin McKenney, corresponding author of the study and an assistant professor of applied ecology at NC State. "For example, the cecum is an organ that's found at the nexus of the large and small intestine. One person may have a cecum that is only a few centimeters long, while another may have a cecum the size of a coin purse. And we found similar variability for many digestive organs."

In another striking example, the researchers found that women tend to have longer small intestines than men.

"Because having a longer small intestine helps you extract nutrients from your diet, this finding supports the canalization hypothesis, which posits that women are better able to survive during periods of stress," says Hale.

"Given that there is more variation in human gut anatomy than we thought, this could inform our understanding of what is driving a range of health-related issues and how we treat them," says McKenney. "Basically, now that we know this variability exists, it raises a number of research questions that need to be explored."

For this study, the researchers measured the digestive organs of 45 people who donated their remains to the Anatomical Gifts Program at the Duke University School of Medicine.

In addition to shedding light on the unexpected variability in human anatomy, this project also led to rediscovering the importance of teaching anatomical variation to medical students.

"It's particularly important in medical training, because if students are only learning about a 'normal' or 'average' anatomy, that means they are not going to be familiar with the scope of human variation," says Roxanne Larsen, co-author of the paper and an associate professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences at the University of Minnesota. "It's increasingly clear that the medical field is moving toward individualized medicine to improve patient outcomes and overall health and well-being. Garnering experience in understanding anatomical variation can play a critical role in helping future doctors understand the importance of individualized medicine."

"We're excited about this discovery and future directions for the work," McKenney says. "It underscores just how little we know about our own bodies."

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Significant variation in anatomy of human guts - Science Daily

Anatomy

Write Again …An anatomy of a Southerner – Washington Daily News – thewashingtondailynews.com

Published 3:00 pm Wednesday, April 26, 2023

The following about we Southerners is too good not to share with you, folks.

Its purloined from the book South of Broad by the late Pat Conroy. If ever a writer was consummately creatively gifted at his craft, it was Pat Conroy. To fully understand what I mean by that you simply have to read South of Broad. Which you probably wont, but thats okay. (Note I didnt write O.K.)

Here is what he thinks the rest of the country thinks about us; or vice versa:

Some people hate Southern accents.

Some people think all Southerners are stupid because of those accents.

Many black people I have met outside the South blame us personally for Jim Crow laws, segregation, the death of Martin Luther King Jr., the existence of the Ku Klux Klan, all lynchings and the scourge of slavery.

Movie buffs hate the South because they have seen Birth of a Nation, Gone With the Wind, In the Heat of the Night, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Easy Rider.

A man from Ohio hates the South because he once ate grits at the Atlanta airport. He admitted that he put milk and sugar on them and thought it the worst cream of wheat hed ever tasted.

Many women who married Southern men then divorced them, hate the South, as do many men who married Southern women and divorced them. All men and women who married Southerners, then divorced them, hate their Southern mother-in-laws ergo the entire South.

All liberals based in other geographies hate the South because it is so conservative. They refuse to believe that any true liberals could also be Southern.

All women not from the South hate Southern women because Southern women consider themselves far more beautiful than women of the lesser states.

All Americans who are not Southern hate the South because they know Southerners dont give a rats fanny (I would have said rump for alliteration.) what is thought of them.

There ends what Pat Conroy had to say.

Allow me to add that I think many of my fellow Americans up North think we are slow, or dull, because we talk slowly.

To them I say maybe so, but we dont send our children to college up there, and yall sure love to send yours down here for a higher education.

Enough of this. Its mostly just tongue-in-cheek, not to be taken too

seriously. (Or maybe foot-in-mouth.)

See you back here next week.

Oh. Other books by Pat Conroy are The Boo, The Water is Wide, The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides, Beach Music, My Losing Season, and The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes of My Life.

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Write Again ...An anatomy of a Southerner - Washington Daily News - thewashingtondailynews.com

Anatomy

Anatomy Of And Stencil Design Recommendations For Our DLI … – Med Device Online

The Knowles Precision Devices DLI brand of technologies are designed to address the complex challenges of implementing high-performance mmWave filters across the widest range of specifications. Our Microwave Product Catalog covers how to select the best catalog or custom components for your application needs, while our new Microwave Products Guide provides valuable information and recommendations for how to work with our DLI brand microwave products once you have the components in hand.

If you are not familiar with our DLI brand, these devices utilize thin film technology and our specialized ceramic materials, which provide a substrate with enhanced properties compared to traditional substrates such as Alumina. We help customers achieve the best performance for their thin film applications by using precise manufacturing techniques to apply thin metal layers to create a pattern.

The Microwave Product Guide includes general information that is pertinent to all DLI brand devices as well as detailed recommendations for certain device types and/or configurations. In this blog post, we will dive into the details on one of those device types by exploring the anatomy of our DLI brand filters and stencil design recommendations.

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Anatomy Of And Stencil Design Recommendations For Our DLI ... - Med Device Online

Anatomy

What makes a great vampire? The anatomy of Nic Cage’s Dracula in ‘Renfield’ – Yahoo News

Renfield might be a contemporary take on the Dracula mythology, but directorChris McKay and Dracula actorNicolas Cageput a lot of thought and care into crafting a take on the vampire that honors all of his cinematic incarnations, and many of the specific actors who have also portrayed the Alpha predator.

In particular, the end credits feature Cage as Dracula back through time in reproduced sequences that seem plucked right from the source films. Meticulously recreated through costume design, production design and blocking, Cage cuts a familiar silhouette that brings to mind the names of legendary Dracula performers like Lugosi, Chaney, Lee and more.

RELATED:'Renfield' star Nicholas Hoult reflects on losing out on 'The Batman' role to Robert Pattinson

As all great performances are often inspired by actors who came before, we've stitched together some of the performances horror and not that Cage and McKay have referenced for their Renfield aesthetic. Starting from the top of Cage's noggin to the tip of his well polished shoes, SYFY WIRE dissects his performance down to its base elements:

Cage has said he looked to actor Christopher Lee's performance as the Count in theHammer Horror series of films which began withDracula (1958) for the overall vibe of his version of the character. It's easy to see the resemblance as both are commanding, pallid, and have a preference for dark clothes and slicked back hair. They're also both very frightening in action which keeps the stakes and danger of the character ever present.

Renfield begins by reproduced scenes from Tod Browning's 1931 film, Dracula, starringBela Lugosi andDwight FryeasRenfield. Shot in black and white, the scenes imply Cage and Nicholas Hoult's Renfield have the same origins in the same universe. Cage is dressed like Lugosi's Count Dracula which helps establish just how long he's been stuck "living" this cursed existence. And it allows the audience to see what he's retained over the decades of regenerating and slipping into new eras.

Story continues

For Cage's fangs,Lon Chaney Sr.sLondon After Midnightvampire which only survives in a few still images was the model for his very scary set of chompers. Sharp like shark's teeth, they are terrifying reminders of the damage the vampire can do.

Cage's Dracula definitely has a certain way of moving in the world and it's not the predatory or speedy way that some vamps are portrayed. He's actually got a very measured, and then at times when he's trying to be charming, a very jovial air about him. Cage says he looked to his own father, August Coppola who was an academic for his character's overall countenance when speaking with Renfield. And then, surprisingly, he took from actress Anne Bancroft, who played Mrs. Robinson the seducer in The Graduate,when Drac is trying to win new friends and influence people.

And there's also shades ofJohn Badham's 1979Dracula in whichFrank Langella made the vampire quite the Gothic sex symbol. Cage's Dracula doesn't fall for anyone, but he's got a swagger that he shows off to the co-dependency support group and crime family matriarch,Bellafrancesca Lobo (Shohreh Aghdashloo).

Craving even more vampire shenanigans? Check outSYFY'sReginald the Vampire, which isset to returnlater this year for a second season. Or head on over to Peacock, whereVampire Academy is now in session. And that's not all! Universal Pictures will release asecond Dracula-inspired movie LastVoyage of the Demeter intotheaters this August.

Reginald the Vampire

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What makes a great vampire? The anatomy of Nic Cage's Dracula in 'Renfield' - Yahoo News

Anatomy

‘It’s a beautiful game’: The anatomy of the Alaskan high kick – Anchorage Daily News

Boys and girls compete on seperate sides of the court during the Alaskan High Kick on the first day of the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 20, 2023. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Of the 10 unique events contested at this weekends Native Youth Olympics in Anchorage, the Alaskan high kick is a true enigma.

To succeed in the event takes strength, technique, focus and practice. Lots of practice.

The movement is a hybrid of force and form with a picturesque pinnacle. The competitor pushes from a seated position while grasping one foot. Balancing on one hand, the athlete uses their other foot to kick a hanging ball that dangles feet above the floor. The best in the sport reach a completely vertical position when they kick the ball.

Athletes from all over the state converged on Alaska Airlines Arena to compete in the Native Youth Olympics, which wrapped up Saturday. The gathering includes other traditional events like the wrist carry and seal hop. But the Alaskan high kick holds a special mantle for being a thorough test of mind and body.

The Alaskan high kick is the greatest example of body control among all the games because you really have to listen to your entire body, Juneau coach Kyle Worl said. Your hand position, your elbow position, your shoulder, your head, your chest, your hips. Theres so much detail to it.

Worl is among the states most decorated athletes in the Native games with over 100 medals in international competitions. Worl said it took him four years of practice to achieve the vertical handstand that has evolved into preferred method to reach maximum height. While the physical technique is the first major hurdle, theres much more to it, he said.

You want to get into the detail of every single part of it, but you also cant overthink it, Worl said. I think its a beautiful game because its complicated. And it takes a bit of technique and then just listening and trusting yourself.

Colton Paul of Kipnuk and competing for Mt. Edgecumbe taps the ball during his winning kick of 92" on the first day of the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 20, 2023. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Like the other Indigenous events, the Alaskan high kick has traditional origins. The kick started in small subterranean homes, where contestants would dip a toe in the ash leftover from a fire and perform the kick, attempting to mark the highest spot they could reach on the huts ceiling. The discipline helped develop coordination, strength and concentration.

Kaidon Parker squinted and tilted his head slightly as if he was face to face with a perplexing math equation on a chalkboard.

[Its just everything to me: Mt. Edgecumbes Colton Paul honors his brother with NYO performance]

The 15-year-old from Unalaska paused to collect his thoughts on the event Thursday afternoon as he watched fellow competitors practicing off the side of the main floor at Alaska Airlines Center.

Its just crazy how someone can get vertical off their own hand using their foot, said Parker. I just love this one. I cant stop. The coaches are like Alright, youve got to take a break now. I just cant until I hit that one. I just have to keep going. I love it.

Kaidon Parker, 15, of Unalaska, competed in the Alaskan High Kick on the first day of the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 20, 2023. (Bill Roth / ADN)

A rookie in the event, Parker had been practicing the kick regularly and doing extra training to help improve his performance including work on balance balls, handstands and dead lifts.

Anything that can use your whole body, he said. The obliques are really, really essential and youre using your hips to push up there.

Parker was in good company when it came to Alaskan high kick fanaticism.

[Former Native Youth Olympic standouts are giving back to the next generation as officials]

Caelyn Carter, a freshman at Wasilla High, won the girls competition with a kick with a height of 70 inches. She only started getting serious about the kick in the last three weeks. But after seeing friends on her Mat-Su team work on the even she was hooked.

I saw those like boys going vertical and was like Oh, I want to try that so bad. Its gonna be so cool, she said. Its really something I can show off to people and teach them how to do it.

She said she still has plenty of room to grow in her quest to go vertical.

Im gonna continue doing this for the rest of my days, she said. Im hooked on this one. This is fun. This is crazy.

Alex Covey of Anchorage focuses on the ball while competing in the Alaskan High Kick where he that earned third placewith a 90" kick on the first day of the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 20, 2023. (Bill Roth / ADN)

There has been plenty of advancement in Alaskan high kick technique in recent years. Phillip Blanchett, who is master of ceremonies at NYO, grew up competing in the games in the 1980s before the vertical form was the norm. It wasnt until 1988 that Ivano Kaput representing the Northwest Territories went vertical at the Arctic Winter Games. Anchorages Jaclyn Weston was the first female athlete to reach the vertical position in the game.

Its just really a unique game, Blanchett said. Now with these kids, everyone goes vertical. And its really cool to see. Its really a cool, iconic posture.

Blanchett said the movement is seen in other artistic forms, including dance.

If you go back and look at some of the poses in the most competitive or advanced forms of breakdancing, youll see that same exact move, that same pose, where youre in a complete one-arm handstand holding your leg, he said.

While the endpoint is the same for the elite competitors, there is variance in how the athletes start the kick.

Theres a lot of diversity in the techniques, said Judah Eason, a former competitor who now coaches in Kenai. Ive seen people setup in very different ways. Some people will start with their arm completely touching them. Some people start with their backs and they rock. It really doesnt take much power. Its more about balance and control.

Daylon Brown listens to advice from an elder during his second place finish in the Alaskan High Kick on the first day of the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 20, 2023. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Colton Paul won the boys event Thursday with a kick of 92 inches. He had a chance to tie the state record, making contact with the ball at 93 inches but landing on the opposite side of his takeoff, which is considered a foul.

While Alaskans have traditionally done well in the event internationally, athletes from around the world are kicking higher and higher.

I think we do take pride in it and we train and push each other, Worl said. But I know there are up-and-coming athletes in Canada and Greenland that are also now learning to go vertical, which is a great thing, because the games are all about sharing.

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'It's a beautiful game': The anatomy of the Alaskan high kick - Anchorage Daily News