Long-distance Events Research Articles

Athlete availability and incidence of overuse injuries over an athletics season in a cohort of elite Swedish athletics athletes - a prospective study

BackgroundAthletics is a sport with a high incidence of injury, where most injuries are caused by overuse. Research on injury incidence and the occurrence of overuse injuries during a season in athletics is scarce. An athlete availability (unrestricted ability to participate in training or competition) of less than 80% has been linked with athletes being less likely to reach their performance goals. The purpose of this study was to estimate the monthly injury incidence rates, athlete availability, and the overuse injury incidence rate per 1000 athletics-hours of training in a cohort of Swedish elite athletics athletes.MethodsThe cohort consisted of 59 male and female elite athletes competing in either middle or long-distance running, sprint, or jumping events. Injury and training data were collected during one athletics season, from October to the end of August. All injury data were collected by medical professionals. Training data were collected monthly, and consisted of event-specific training diaries covering training sessions, training days, and non-training or non-competition days. Monthly injury incidence rates were based on the number of new injuries per month in relation to the number of exposed (injury-free) athletes.ResultsThe overall injury incidence rate for all athletes was highest in October (22.0%). Monthly injury incidence rate for middle and long-distance runners was highest in October (26.1%), for sprinters in April (19.0%), and for jumpers in October (21.4%). The overall athlete availability was 78.0% for the cohort. Sprinters had the lowest athlete availability (71.4%), followed by jumpers (77.3%), and middle-distance and long-distance runners (82.7%). Female athletes (76.5%) had a lower athlete availability than male athletes (79.7%). The injury incidence rate was 1.81 injuries per 1000 athletics hours of training. Middle and long-distance runners had the highest injury incidence rate (2.38), followed by jumpers (1.62), and sprinters (1.34).ConclusionMonthly injury incidence rates during a season appears to correspond to periods of high training volume (conditioning phases and training camps). The low overall athlete availability (> 80%) indicates that many Swedish elite athletes are less likely to reach their full potential.

Sex Differences in Swimming Disciplines-Can Women Outperform Men in Swimming?

In recent years, the interest of female dominance in long-distance swimming has grown where several newspaper articles have been published speculating about female performance and dominance—especially in open-water ultra-distance swimming. The aim of this narrative review is to review the scientific literature regarding the difference between the sexes for all swimming strokes (i.e., butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle and individual medley), different distances (i.e., from sprint to ultra-distances), extreme conditions (i.e., cold water), different ages and swimming integrated in multi-sports disciplines, such as triathlon, in various age groups and over calendar years. The influence of various physiological, psychological, anthropometrical and biomechanical aspects to potentially explain the female dominance was also discussed. The data bases Scopus and PUBMED were searched by April 2020 for the terms ’sex–difference–swimming’. Long-distance open-water swimmers and pool swimmers of different ages and performance levels were mainly investigated. In open-water long-distance swimming events of the ’Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming’ with the ’Catalina Channel Swim’, the ’English Channel Swim’ and the ’Manhattan Island Marathon Swim’, women were about 0.06 km/h faster than men. In master swimmers (i.e., age groups 25–29 to 90–94 years) competing in the FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) World Championships in pool swimming in freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke, individual medley and in 3000-m open-water swimming, women master swimmers appeared able to achieve similar performances as men in the oldest age groups (i.e., older than 75–80 years). In boys and girls aged 5–18 years—and listed in the all-time top 100 U.S. freestyle swimming performances from 50 m to 1500 m—the five fastest girls were faster than the five fastest boys until the age of ~10 years. After the age of 10 years, and until the age of 17 years, however, boys were increasingly faster than girls. Therefore, women tended to decrease the existing sex differences in specific age groups (i.e., younger than 10 years and older than 75–80 years) and swimming strokes in pool-swimming or even to overperform men in long-distance open-water swimming (distance of ~30 km), especially under extreme weather conditions (water colder than ~20 °C). Two main variables may explain why women can swim faster than men in open-water swimming events: (i) the long distance of around 30 km, (ii) and water colder than ~20 °C. Future studies may investigate more detailed (e.g., anthropometry) the very young (<10 years) and very old (>75–80 years) age groups in swimming

Effects of Drop Jumps on 1000-m Performance Time and Pacing in Elite Male and Female Endurance Runners.

To evaluate the effect of drop jumps (DJs) on performance time and pacing in a field test (ie,1000m) commonly used to evaluate endurance runners and to evaluate running and jumping performance in male and female athletes separately. Twenty elite endurance runners (male, n = 10, 27.8 [7.0]y, 62.3 [5.2]kg; female, n = 10, 25.9 [5.3]y, 51.7 [4.1]kg) competing in middle- and long-distance events participated in this study. After determination of the box height associated with the best reactive strength index, athletes randomly performed a warm-up with or without the inclusion of 5 DJs with the highest reactive strength index prior to a 1000-m track test. Performance time and pacing (250-m splits) were determined. Countermovement-jump heights at different time points and blood lactate concentration after running tests were also recorded. A "possible" faster 1000-m time (162.4 vs 165.3s) with a "very likely" faster first split (38.8 vs 40.3s) was observed in male athletes in the DJ condition. In contrast, female athletes showed a "possible" slower running time (186.8 vs 184.8s) and a "likely" greater blood lactate concentration after the 1000-m test in the DJ condition. Male and female athletes presented greater countermovement-jump performances after warm-up and running tests in both conditions. The inclusion of 5 DJs with the height associated with the best reactive strength index induced a "possible" improvement in 1000-m performance time in elite male endurance runners. The current protocol should be avoided in female athletes.

Incubation periods impact the spatial predictability of cholera and Ebola outbreaks in Sierra Leone

Forecasting the spatiotemporal spread of infectious diseases during an outbreak is an important component of epidemic response. However, it remains challenging both methodologically and with respect to data requirements, as disease spread is influenced by numerous factors, including the pathogen's underlying transmission parameters and epidemiological dynamics, social networks and population connectivity, and environmental conditions. Here, using data from Sierra Leone, we analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of recent cholera and Ebola outbreaks and compare and contrast the spread of these two pathogens in the same population. We develop a simulation model of the spatial spread of an epidemic in order to examine the impact of a pathogen's incubation period on the dynamics of spread and the predictability of outbreaks. We find that differences in the incubation period alone can determine the limits of predictability for diseases with different natural history, both empirically and in our simulations. Our results show that diseases with longer incubation periods, such as Ebola, where infected individuals can travel farther before becoming infectious, result in more long-distance sparking events and less predictable disease trajectories, as compared to the more predictable wave-like spread of diseases with shorter incubation periods, such as cholera.

Ocean currents and the population genetic signature of fish migrations.

Animal migrations are a fascinating and global phenomenon, yet they are often difficult to study and sometimes poorly understood. Here, we build on classic ecological theory by hypothesizing that some enigmatic spawning migrations across coastal marinehabitats can be inferred from the population genetic signature of larval dispersal by ocean currents. We test this assumption by integrating spatially realistic simulations of alternative spawning migration routes, associated patterns of larval dispersal, and associated variation in the population genetic structure of eastern Australian sea mullet (Mugil cephalus). We then use simulation results to assess the implications of alternative spawning destinations for larval replenishment, and we contrast simulated against measured population genetic variation. Both analyses suggest that the spawning migrations of M.cephalus in eastern Australia are likely to be localized (approximately 100km along the shore), and that spawning is likely to occur in inshore waters. Our conclusions are supported by multiple lines of evidence available through independent studies, but they challenge the more traditional assumption of a single, long-distance migration event with subsequent offshore spawning in the East Australian Current. More generally, our study operationalizes classic theory on the relationship between fish migrations, ocean currents, and reproductive success. However, rather than confirming the traditionally assumed adaptation of migratory behavior to dominant ocean current flow, our findings support the concept of a genetically measurable link between fish migrations and local oceanographic conditions, specifically water temperature and coastal retention of larvae. We believe that future studies using similar approaches for high resolution and spatially realistic ecological-genetic scenario testing can help rapidly advance our understanding of key ecological processes in many other marine species.

Unsupervised inference of implicit biomedical events using context triggers

BackgroundEvent extraction from the biomedical literature is one of the most actively researched areas in biomedical text mining and natural language processing. However, most approaches have focused on events within single sentence boundaries, and have thus paid much less attention to events spanning multiple sentences. The Bacteria-Biotope event (BB-event) subtask presented in BioNLP Shared Task 2016 is one such example; a significant amount of relations between bacteria and biotope span more than one sentence, but existing systems have treated them as false negatives because labeled data is not sufficiently large enough to model a complex reasoning process using supervised learning frameworks.ResultsWe present an unsupervised method for inferring cross-sentence events by propagating intra-sentence information to adjacent sentences using context trigger expressions that strongly signal the implicit presence of entities of interest. Such expressions can be collected from a large amount of unlabeled plain text based on simple syntactic constraints, helping to overcome the limitation of relying only on a small number of training examples available. The experimental results demonstrate that our unsupervised system extracts cross-sentence events quite well and outperforms all the state-of-the-art supervised systems when combined with existing methods for intra-sentence event extraction. Moreover, our system is also found effective at detecting long-distance intra-sentence events, compared favorably with existing high-dimensional models such as deep neural networks, without any supervised learning techniques.ConclusionsOur linguistically motivated inference model is shown to be effective at detecting implicit events that have not been covered by previous work, without relying on training data or curated knowledge bases. Moreover, it also helps to boost the performance of existing systems by allowing them to detect additional cross-sentence events. We believe that the proposed model offers an effective way to infer implicit information beyond sentence boundaries, especially when human-annotated data is not sufficient enough to train a robust supervised system.

Electrocardiographic changes after completion of a triathlon

ABSTRACT Objectives Given the increasing popularity of long-distance triathlon events amongst amateur athlete and the difficulty for emergency physician to address cardiovascular complaints in the context of exercise, this study aims to: -Identify the prevalence of electrocardiographic abnormalities before and after a long distance triathlon in a cohort of participants using the Seattle criteria. -Identify the acute changes that occur on their ECGs at the finish line of a long-distance triathlon. Methods This prospective observational study examines the prevalence of selected standard 12-lead ECG findings, the Seattle criteria, in asymptomatic athletes before and after the completion of a long-distance triathlon. Results Of 99 ECGs obtained prior to the race, 28 were abnormal, for a pre-race prevalence of 28.3% (95% CI (20.4, 37.8)). Of the 72 ECGs post-race, 12 were abnormal, for a post-race prevalence of 16.7% (95% CI (9.8, 26.9)). We did not observe any athletes with marked repolarization abnormalities. Common findings were increased QRS voltage significant for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) (24 (24.2%) pre-race, 10 (14.1%) post-race), early repolarization (21 (21.2%) pre-race, 19 (26.8%) post-race) and incomplete right bundle branch block (RBBB) (8 (8.1%) pre-race, 11 (15.5%) post-race). McNemar’s test showed no agreement between the ECG pre and post results (Chi-square =6.54, p = 0.01), suggesting a possible effect of the race on ECG findings. We observed a trend to normalization of athlete’s ECGs with acute exercise. Conclusion Long-distance endurance exercise might acutely affect the ECGs findings in asymptomatic athletes and abnormal ECG findings were common in our cohort of athletes. Physicians providing care to long-distance athletes should interpret ECGs in this population prudently. SUMMARY BOX The acute effect of exercises on athlete’s electrocardiograms has not been well studied. In our cohort of long-distance triathlon finishers, 28.3% of athletes had abnormal ECGs pre-race and 16.7% had abnormal ECGs post-race according to the Seattle Criteria. We observed a trend toward normalization of athlete’s ECGs with acute exercise. Common ECGs abnormalities found in those asymptomatic athletes were left ventricular hypertrophy, early repolarization and right bundle branch block. Physicians involved in the care of athletes should be prudent when interpreting ECGs in this population.

Les relations franco-kényanes dans les courses de fond : Un processus postcolonial singulier (1960–2019)

At the Mexico City Olympics, Kenya won eight medals in athletics. This performance enabled this State, whose independence dated back just four years, to display its identity to the eyes of the world. Kenyan athletics, mainly in middle- and long-distance events, continued to assert itself until it dominated the medal ranking in the 2015 World Championships. However, even if it is a vehicle for emancipation and identity-building, Kenyan athletics is also dependent on external influences. Therefore, even though France and Kenya never had colonial links, they have built interdependent relationships in athletics during the post-colonial era. The purpose of this study is to understand the particular postcolonial process around which these relationships were built, in the absence of colonial ties. We have chosen to conduct this study based on the investigation of minutes of the French Athletics Federation (FFA) committees and the journal L’Athlétisme, the official FFA review. We conducted semi-structured interviews with Kenyan and French athletics actors (athletes, managers, race organizers, and federal officials). These data reveal a continuing domination of Kenya, by France, in athletics. This relationship of domination marks a survival of the colonial order. However, Kenyan athletes’ domination, especially in marathons, contributes to the vulnerability of French performances. The singularity of the postcolonial process studied lies as much in the absence of colonial ties between France and Kenya as in the transformation of a relationship of domination specific to the colonial period.

Mass triathlon participation as a human need to set the goals and cross the borders. How to understand the triathlete?

Buchholz and Artinian (2009) defined physical activity and categorized it into three levels: low, moderate, and high. Triathlon as an activity that typically combines swimming, cycling and running in one event, belongs to high level and is considered as a hard discipline, requiring frequent, well-planned training. The three sports are performed consecutively with no breaks. As recreational athletes show a growing interest in long-distance events, and the participation in triathlon is increasing, the aim of this article is to try to understand the popularization of such a difficult sport as triathlon. The research question is what motivates people to participate in triathlon and why people feel this strong need to participate in such exhausting sports competition? It was decided to look for answers to the research questions in the available literature on the problem and in the review of research on participation in triathlon. It turns out that the basis of most of the considerations was the Self Determination Theory. Many authors have referred in their research to the Motivations of Marathoners Scale (MOMS).

Panpipes as units of cultural analysis and dispersal.

The panpipe is a musical instrument composed of end-blown tubes of different lengths tied together. They can be traced back to the Neolithic, and they have been found at prehistoric sites in China, Europe and South America. Panpipes display substantial variation in space and time across functional and aesthetic dimensions. Finding similarities in panpipes that belong to distant human groups poses a challenge to cultural evolution: while some have claimed that their relative simplicity speaks for independent inventions, others argue that strong similarities of specific features in panpipes from Asia, Oceania and South America suggest long-distance diffusion events. We examined 20 features of a worldwide sample of 401 panpipes and analysed statistically whether instrument features can successfully be used to determine provenance. The model predictions suggest that panpipes are reliable provenance markers, but we found an unusual classification error in which Melanesian panpipes are predicted as originating in South America. Although this pattern may be signalling a diffusion event, other factors such as convergence and preservation biases may play a role. Our analyses show the potential of cultural evolution research on music that incorporates material evidence, which in this study includes both archaeological and ethnographic samples preserved in museum collections.

Pre-transit vitamin C injection improves post-transit performance of beef steers

Although cattle can synthesize vitamin C (VC) endogenously, stress may increase VC requirements above the biosynthetic threshold and warrant supplementation. This study investigated the effects of a VC injection delivered before or after a long-distance transit event on blood parameters and feedlot performance of beef steers. Fifty-two days prior to trial initiation, 90 newly weaned, Angus-based steers from a single source were transported to Ames, IA, USA. On day 0, 72 steers (356 ± 17 kg) were blocked by BW and randomly assigned to intramuscular injection treatments (24 steers/treatment): saline injection pre- and post-transit (CON), VC (Vet One, Boise, ID, USA; 5 g sodium ascorbate/steer) injection pre-transit and saline injection post-transit (PRE) or saline injection pre-transit and VC injection post-transit (POST). Following pre-transit treatment injections, steers were transported on a commercial livestock trailer for approximately 18 h (1675 km). Post-transit (day 1), steers were sorted into pens with one GrowSafe bunk/pen (4 pens/treatment; 6 steers/pen). Steers were weighed on day 0, 1, 7, 30, 31, 56 and 57. Blood was collected from 3 steers/pen on day 0, 1, 2 and 7; liver biopsies were performed on the same 3 steers/pen on day 2. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design (experimental unit = steer; fixed effects = treatment and block) and blood parameters were analyzed as repeated measures. A pre-transit VC injection improved steer average daily gain from day 7 to 31 (P= 0.05) and overall (day 1 to 57; P= 0.02), resulting in greater BW for PRE-steers on day 30/31 (P= 0.03) and a tendency for greater final BW (day 56/57; P= 0.07). Steers that received VC pre- or post-transit had greater DM intake from day 31 to 57 (P= 0.01) and overall (P= 0.02) v. CON-steers. Plasma ascorbate concentrations were greatest for PRE-steers on day 1 and POST-steers on day 2 (treatment × day; P< 0.01). No interaction or treatment effects were observed for other blood parameters (P≥ 0.21). Plasma ferric-reducing antioxidant potential and malondialdehyde concentrations decreased post-transit (day; P< 0.01), while serum non-esterified fatty acids and haptoglobin concentrations increased post-transit (day; P< 0.01). In general, blood parameters returned to pre-transit values by day 7. Pre-transit administration of injectable VC to beef steers mitigated the decline in plasma ascorbate concentrations and resulted in superior feedlot performance compared to post-transit administration.

The Performance Gap in Sport Can Help Determine Which Movements Were Most Essential to Human Evolution.

Men outperform women in sports that require muscular strength and endurance, but the magnitude of this performance gap (PG) does not appear to be constant; that is, the PG between men and women is greater in some sports than it is in others. Here, we examine the size of this gap within the realm of track and field by comparing the top 50 world-record performances of men to the top 50 records set by women in a number of long-distance running, medium-distance running, short-distance running, and jumping events. While women do not perform at the level of men in any track and field event, the magnitude of the PG trends up or down depending on the type of event. Jumping events exhibit a larger gap between the sexes than do running events, and short-distance running events show a smaller disparity between the sexes than do medium- or long-distance running events. This difference suggests that general sexual dimorphism does not explain why female performance is relatively closer to male performance at some track and field events than others. We hypothesize that this trend can be explained by the presence of sex-blind musculoskeletal adaptations (SBMA’s), which accumulate over generations to reduce the size of the PG in certain movements. We conclude that the selection trend favoring in humans should be explored further to determine whether the PG in sport can indeed be used to determine movements to which the human body is adapted.

Genome-wide SNP data reveal improved evidence for Antarctic glacial refugia and dispersal of terrestrial invertebrates.

Antarctica is isolated, surrounded by the Southern Ocean and has experienced extreme environmental conditions for millions of years, including during recent Pleistocene glacial maxima. How Antarctic terrestrial species might have survived these glaciations has been a topic of intense interest, yet many questions remain unanswered, particularly for Antarctica's invertebrate fauna. We examine whether genetic data from a widespread group of terrestrial invertebrates, springtails (Collembola, Isotomidae) of the genus Cryptopygus, show evidence for long-term survival in glacial refugia along the Antarctic Peninsula. We use genome-wide SNP analyses (via genotyping-by-sequencing, GBS) and mitochondrial data to examine population diversity and differentiation across more than 20 sites spanning >950km on the Peninsula, and from islands both close to the Peninsula and up to ~1,900km away. Population structure analysis indicates the presence of strong local clusters of diversity, and we infer that patterns represent a complex interplay of isolation in local refugia coupled with occasional successful long-distance dispersal events. We identified wind and degree days as significant environmental drivers of genetic diversity, with windier and warmer sites hosting higher diversity. Thus, we infer that refugial areas along the Antarctic Peninsula have allowed populations of indigenous springtails to survive in situ throughout glacial periods. Despite the difficulties of dispersal in cold, desiccating conditions, Cryptopygus springtails on the Peninsula appear to have achieved multiple long-distance colonization events, most likely through wind-related dispersal events.

Temporal Trends in Body Condition of Arctic Geese Wintering in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Abstract Midcontinent populations of arctic nesting geese (hereafter, arctic geese), including greater white-fronted geese Anser albifrons frontalis, lesser snow geese Anser caerulescens caerulescens, and Ross's geese Anser rossii, have increased in abundance and shifted their winter distribution in recent decades. Consequently, the number of arctic geese wintering in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) has increased since the 1980s. Stored endogenous nutrients are critically important to the life cycle of arctic geese as the geese use these stored nutrients to complete long-distance migration events, survive harsh winters, and supplement nutrients needed for reproduction. This study tracked temporal changes in body condition of arctic geese during the wintering period. We collected arctic geese from October–February 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 in eastern Arkansas. We used proximate analysis to determine size of lipid and protein stores as an index of body condition. Protein stores were more stable through time than lipids, but we observed a slight increase in all species as winter progressed. Mean lipid stores were dynamic and were highest in November and lowest in February. Greater white-fronted geese arrived earliest to the MAV and experienced an increase in endogenous lipid stores during early winter when high-energy food resources were most abundant. Conversely, snow and Ross's geese arrived to the MAV later and did not appear to increase their lipid stores upon arrival. All three species experienced a decline in stored lipid mass as winter progressed; a combination of factors such as resource depletion, a shift in dietary needs, physiological factors, hunting pressure, and increased energetic demands may have driven the decline. An improved understanding of the role that “nontraditional” wintering grounds exert on the nutrient dynamics of arctic geese may aid in the management of growing and shifting populations.

Pastoralist activities affect the movement patterns of a large African carnivore, the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta)

Abstract Populations of large carnivores are declining in many parts of the world due to anthropogenic activity. Some species of large carnivores, however, are able to coexist with people by altering their behavior. Altered behaviors may be challenging to identify in large carnivores because these animals are typically cryptic, nocturnal, live at low densities, and because changes in their behavior may be subtle or emerge slowly over many years. We studied the effects of livestock presence on the movements of one large carnivore, the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). We fit 22 adult female spotted hyenas with GPS collars to quantify their movements in areas with and without livestock or herders present, in and around a protected area in southwestern Kenya. We investigated anthropogenic, social, and ecological effects on the speed of movement, distances traveled, long-distance movements, and extraterritorial excursions by spotted hyenas. Hyenas living primarily within the protected area, but in the presence of livestock and herders, moved faster, traveled over longer distances, and were more likely to be within their territories than did conspecifics living in areas without livestock and herders. Hyenas of low social rank were more likely than hyenas of high social rank to engage in long-distance travel events, and these were more likely to occur when prey were scarce. The movement patterns of this large African carnivore indicate a flexibility that may allow them to persist in landscapes that are becoming increasingly defined by people.

Effective gene flow patterns across a fragmented landscape in southern Costa Rica for Symphonia globulifera (Clusiaceae); a species with mobile seed and pollen dispersers

In tropical trees, forest fragmentation has been shown to affect mating and gene flow patterns. Mobile dispersal vectors should be less sensitive to fragmented landscapes and may ameliorate the genetic effects of forest fragmentation on plant populations. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed gene flow patterns in Symphonia globulifera, a tropical tree species with highly mobile pollinators and seed dispersers in the Osa Peninsula in southern Costa Rica. We used microsatellites to study genetic diversity and realized gene flow patterns between a continuous forest and a forest fragment. We found high levels of genetic diversity in adults and seedlings at both sites. Parentage analyses suggest near-neighbor matings and frequent long-distance gene flow events. Half the progeny beneath an adult was not sired by that tree and the majority of established seedlings were the result of long-distance gene dispersal. Gene flow from the forest into the fragment was more common than from the fragment into the continuous forests. Despite long distance gene flow events, seedling spatial genetic structure was stronger and extended further in the forest fragment likely due to limited seed dispersal. We conclude that fragmentation affects gene flow in this tropical tree and may compromise its genetic diversity in forest fragments even for a species with mobile pollen and seed vectors.

Running Recession: A Trend Analysis of Running Involvement and Runner Characteristics to Understand Declining Participation

Market trends indicate the distance running event industry is facing a running recession. Since 2013, consumer demand has declined annually while supply increased. The current research provides insight into why running as a recreational activity is declining and implications for organized events’ utility. Based on seven years of participants’ postevent surveys from a long-distance running event, the value placed on hedonic, symbolic, and lifestyle features of running (i.e., running involvement) is gradually declining, which corresponds to a decline in annual event participation. Results are based on analyses of both a time series of cross-sections (N = 23,790) and a panel of multiyear respondents (n = 461). Also, there are gender differences in the rates at which running involvement declined. These results shed light onto a sociopsychographic explanation for the declining levels of running event participation and general interest in running.

Wide outcrossing provides functional connectivity for new and old Banksia populations within a fragmented landscape

Habitat fragmentation affects landscape connectivity, the extent of which is influenced by the movement capacity of the vectors of seed and pollen dispersal for plants. Negative impacts of reduced connectivity can include reduced fecundity, increased inbreeding, genetic erosion and decreased long-term viability. These are issues for not only old (remnant) populations, but also new (restored) populations. We assessed reproductive and connective functionality within and among remnant and restored populations of a common tree, Banksia menziesii R.Br. (Proteaceae), in a fragmented urban landscape, utilising a genetic and graph theoretical approach. Adult trees and seed cohorts from five remnants and two restored populations were genotyped using microsatellite markers. Genetic variation and pollen dispersal were assessed using direct (paternity assignment) and indirect (pollination graphs and mating system characterisation) methods. Restored populations had greater allelic diversity (Ar = 8.08; 8.34) than remnant populations (Ar range = 6.49-7.41). Genetic differentiation was greater between restored and adjacent remnants (FST = 0.03 and 0.10) than all other pairwise comparisons of remnant populations (mean FST = 0.01 ± 0.01; n = 16 P = 0.001). All populations displayed low correlated paternity (rp = 0.06-0.16) with wide-ranging realised pollen dispersal distances (< 1.7km) and well-connected pollen networks. Here, we demonstrate reproductive and connective functionality of old and new populations of B. menziesii within a fragmented landscape. Due to long-distance pollination events, the physical size of these sites underestimates their effective population size. Thus, they are functionally equivalent to large populations, integrated into a larger landscape matrix.

Do the Fastest Open-Water Swimmers have A Higher Speed in Middle- and Long-Distance Pool Swimming Events?

Background: It has been shown that the fastest open-water swimmers (OW-swimmers) increase significantly the speed in the last split of the open-water events. The aim of the present work was to determine if the fastest OW-swimmers have a higher speed in the middle- and long-distance pool swimming events, and to develop a multivariate model that can predict the medalist group in the 10-km competition. Methods: A total of 484 athletes (252-males and 232-females) were included in the analysis. Swimmers were divided into four groups based on their finishing position in the competition. For each swimmer, the absolute best performance (PB) of 200, 400, 800 and 1500-meter in long course, the seasonal best performance (SPB) obtained before the open-water events and critical velocity (CV) were analyzed. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to detect significant differences between groups and discriminant analysis was used to predict a grouping variable. Results: All the variables analyzed were significantly different between groups (p < 0.001). The first discriminant function correctly classified 50% of the overall female and male swimmers. Conclusion: Fastest OW-swimmers have a higher speed in middle- and long-distance pool swimming events. Further studies should include different anthropometric and physiological variables to increase the accuracy of classification.

Injury Surveillance and Evaluation of Medical Services Utilized During the 2016 Track and Field Olympic Trials.

Background:Injury surveillance systems have been implemented at world championships, yet no previous work has determined the burden of injuries during the United States Track and Field Olympic Trials. Additionally, the type of medical service providers utilized throughout the meet has not been reported, leaving it unclear whether optimal staffing needs are being met.Purpose:To describe the incidence of injuries presenting to the medical team at the 2016 US Track and Field Olympic Trials (Eugene, Oregon) by event type and competitor demographics.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiology study.Methods:A retrospective review was performed of all documented injuries and treatments recorded from June 28 through July 10, 2016. Descriptive statistics and the prevalence of newly incurred injuries were calculated for registered athletes and nonathlete (ie, support) staff. The incidence of acute injuries was analyzed for registered athletes, as stratified by athlete sex and event type.Results:A total of 514 individuals were seen during the trials: 89% were athletes and 11% were supporting staff. Physicians treated 71 injuries and 14 illnesses. Of diagnosed injuries, 85% (n = 60) occurred among athletes, with hamstring strains (16.7%, n = 10) being the most prevalent. A mean of 124 medical services (median, 137; interquartile range, 65.5-179.5) were provided each day of the trials. Among medical services, 41.8% were attributed to massage therapists for athletes, while chiropractic services were the most utilized service (47.1%) by the support staff. There was an overall incidence of 59.7 injuries per 1000 registered athletes, with jumpers (109.4 per 1000) and long-distance athletes (90.4 per 1000) being the most commonly seen athletes.Conclusion:Throughout the trials, athletes participating in jumping and long-distance events were the most commonly seen by physicians, creating the potential need for an increase in staffing of physicians during meet periods when these events occur. The provided medical services appeared to follow the number of athletes competing during the trials and the need for recovery treatments after competition. Findings from this study should inform future strategy for staffing and policy development at Olympic Trials and other elite-level track and field events in the United States.