Ken Quarrie
@kenquarrie.bsky.social
Chief Scientist for NZ Rugby.
All posts are my own views, and do not necessarily align with the position of my employer on any issue discussed, unless I explicitly identify otherwise.
A mix of science and general observations. Posts ≠ endorsements
All posts are my own views, and do not necessarily align with the position of my employer on any issue discussed, unless I explicitly identify otherwise.
A mix of science and general observations. Posts ≠ endorsements
It seems that we are currently at a point where academics are using AI tools to write, or write large chunks of, research papers and grant applications, and reviewers are using AI to detect whether the authors used AI….
October 26, 2025 at 5:29 PM
It seems that we are currently at a point where academics are using AI tools to write, or write large chunks of, research papers and grant applications, and reviewers are using AI to detect whether the authors used AI….
🧪 The same group has a similar paper examining the relationship between contact load and each of contact and non-contact injuries. The rates of both of these types of injury were higher when players had recently been exposed to high contact loads.
September 26, 2025 at 1:48 AM
🧪 The same group has a similar paper examining the relationship between contact load and each of contact and non-contact injuries. The rates of both of these types of injury were higher when players had recently been exposed to high contact loads.
We found marginally higher rates of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) in backs than forwards, and backs had increasing rates with longer careers, whereas this effect was not observed in forwards.
September 5, 2025 at 1:24 AM
We found marginally higher rates of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) in backs than forwards, and backs had increasing rates with longer careers, whereas this effect was not observed in forwards.
We didn’t observe higher rates of early onset NDDs among the players to this point, with clear differences becoming apparent after age 70.
However, because NDDs typically emerge in later life, most of those players with the conditions so far are those who played in the 1950s and 1960s…
However, because NDDs typically emerge in later life, most of those players with the conditions so far are those who played in the 1950s and 1960s…
September 5, 2025 at 1:17 AM
We didn’t observe higher rates of early onset NDDs among the players to this point, with clear differences becoming apparent after age 70.
However, because NDDs typically emerge in later life, most of those players with the conditions so far are those who played in the 1950s and 1960s…
However, because NDDs typically emerge in later life, most of those players with the conditions so far are those who played in the 1950s and 1960s…
The study followed the health outcomes of former first-class New Zealand male players (n=12861) who appeared in matches between 1950 and 2000. The icon diagram shows the percentage of the general population, provincial union/amateur and international/professional players diagnosed with NDDs…
September 5, 2025 at 12:55 AM
The study followed the health outcomes of former first-class New Zealand male players (n=12861) who appeared in matches between 1950 and 2000. The icon diagram shows the percentage of the general population, provincial union/amateur and international/professional players diagnosed with NDDs…
Something suitable for a professor of mycology?
April 19, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Something suitable for a professor of mycology?
The glory of dawn in Te Whanganui-a-tara, Wellington, New Zealand, looking North Nor East
March 28, 2025 at 6:13 PM
The glory of dawn in Te Whanganui-a-tara, Wellington, New Zealand, looking North Nor East
I love the ephemerality of clouds. Also the child-like delight of pareidolia
March 27, 2025 at 6:50 PM
I love the ephemerality of clouds. Also the child-like delight of pareidolia
Wellington New Zealand. At the gloaming
February 14, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Wellington New Zealand. At the gloaming
I haven’t read much of writings of the post-modernist authors who dealt with power — mainly because I found doing so like trying to walk on intellectual quicksand. Abstruse arguments and overly wordy. “Proof by verbosity”
January 31, 2025 at 9:16 PM
I haven’t read much of writings of the post-modernist authors who dealt with power — mainly because I found doing so like trying to walk on intellectual quicksand. Abstruse arguments and overly wordy. “Proof by verbosity”
In 1938, on the eve of World War II, Bertrand Russell published a book called “Power”.
Russell was an exceptionally clear thinker. Many of his assertions remain apposite today.
E.g: “The most successful democratic politicians are those who succeed in abolishing democracy and becoming dictators.”
Russell was an exceptionally clear thinker. Many of his assertions remain apposite today.
E.g: “The most successful democratic politicians are those who succeed in abolishing democracy and becoming dictators.”
January 31, 2025 at 8:50 PM
In 1938, on the eve of World War II, Bertrand Russell published a book called “Power”.
Russell was an exceptionally clear thinker. Many of his assertions remain apposite today.
E.g: “The most successful democratic politicians are those who succeed in abolishing democracy and becoming dictators.”
Russell was an exceptionally clear thinker. Many of his assertions remain apposite today.
E.g: “The most successful democratic politicians are those who succeed in abolishing democracy and becoming dictators.”
I guess tonight’s sunset makes up for yesterday’s fog
January 31, 2025 at 8:43 AM
I guess tonight’s sunset makes up for yesterday’s fog
They say you can’t beat Wellington on a good day. Which typically leaves about 360 per year when it can be trounced. 🫤
January 30, 2025 at 5:44 AM
They say you can’t beat Wellington on a good day. Which typically leaves about 360 per year when it can be trounced. 🫤
It would be a fun intellectual challenge, if nothing else!
I’m keen but will need to be cautious re time. I am apt to throw myself into things that take my interest - an intellectual magpie!
I’m keen but will need to be cautious re time. I am apt to throw myself into things that take my interest - an intellectual magpie!
January 18, 2025 at 8:35 AM
It would be a fun intellectual challenge, if nothing else!
I’m keen but will need to be cautious re time. I am apt to throw myself into things that take my interest - an intellectual magpie!
I’m keen but will need to be cautious re time. I am apt to throw myself into things that take my interest - an intellectual magpie!
Wang et al. have been working on this topic.
“For RQ1, we compiled review guidelines from 11 prominent conferences in computer science, distilling four core attributes – integrity, clarity, novelty, and significance — to gauge paper quality.”
“For RQ1, we compiled review guidelines from 11 prominent conferences in computer science, distilling four core attributes – integrity, clarity, novelty, and significance — to gauge paper quality.”
January 18, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Wang et al. have been working on this topic.
“For RQ1, we compiled review guidelines from 11 prominent conferences in computer science, distilling four core attributes – integrity, clarity, novelty, and significance — to gauge paper quality.”
“For RQ1, we compiled review guidelines from 11 prominent conferences in computer science, distilling four core attributes – integrity, clarity, novelty, and significance — to gauge paper quality.”
Autopsy is obviously a “one time look”. CTE pathology appears to be related to dementia, although much less strongly than other pathologies, such as Alzheimer’s, and multiple pathologies seem to be common. Again, information from the Boston University CTE brain bank has provided evidence about this:
January 7, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Autopsy is obviously a “one time look”. CTE pathology appears to be related to dementia, although much less strongly than other pathologies, such as Alzheimer’s, and multiple pathologies seem to be common. Again, information from the Boston University CTE brain bank has provided evidence about this:
Iverson et al, presented information about the percentage of donors to the Boston University brain bank that had particular symptoms prior to death and found essentially no difference between those with (n=244) and without (n=92) CTE pathology (data initially from Mez et al, in a supplemental file.
January 7, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Iverson et al, presented information about the percentage of donors to the Boston University brain bank that had particular symptoms prior to death and found essentially no difference between those with (n=244) and without (n=92) CTE pathology (data initially from Mez et al, in a supplemental file.
Other researchers have highlighted that the relationship between CTE and clinical outcomes is yet to be established. Back in 2019 Stewart, and 61 other scientists, noted the coverage of CTE in the media often left much to be desired.
January 7, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Other researchers have highlighted that the relationship between CTE and clinical outcomes is yet to be established. Back in 2019 Stewart, and 61 other scientists, noted the coverage of CTE in the media often left much to be desired.
But that New York Times story doesn’t tell the full picture about what that study found. Here is a summary of it, but in essence, the young donors were highly symptomatic regardless of CTE status, an important point that wasn’t addressed in the story.
January 7, 2025 at 7:14 AM
But that New York Times story doesn’t tell the full picture about what that study found. Here is a summary of it, but in essence, the young donors were highly symptomatic regardless of CTE status, an important point that wasn’t addressed in the story.
2/2 The rest of the newsletter
January 7, 2025 at 1:17 AM
2/2 The rest of the newsletter
1/2 A newsletter from World Rugby’s Chief Medical Officer, Prof Éanna Falvey, on player welfare.🏉 #rugby #playerwelfare #braininjury 🧪
January 7, 2025 at 1:15 AM
1/2 A newsletter from World Rugby’s Chief Medical Officer, Prof Éanna Falvey, on player welfare.🏉 #rugby #playerwelfare #braininjury 🧪
This little crab had a small shard of shell attached to its back
January 1, 2025 at 9:51 AM
This little crab had a small shard of shell attached to its back
Not sure what these are. INaturalist suggests that they may be in the Amanita genus
December 31, 2024 at 8:40 PM
Not sure what these are. INaturalist suggests that they may be in the Amanita genus
Kenepuru Sound in New Zealand on a pleasant summer day
December 30, 2024 at 1:13 AM
Kenepuru Sound in New Zealand on a pleasant summer day