Physical Combat Research Articles

Primary Care Considerations for the Adolescent Wrestler.

Adolescent wrestlers undergo intense physical combat. While guidelines are effective in keeping the sport safer, concerns specific to the adolescent wrestler may be missed at primary care visits without knowledge of the unique challenges faced by these athletes. The following review highlights important characteristics of the adolescent wrestler which are of interest to primary care providers. Recommendations for concussion management are evolving to gradual return-to-sport after physician clearance rather than total sport removal. Prolonged skin-to-skin contact also places athletes at greater risk of dermatologic infections, which often require removal from competition, treatment, and/or coverage. Finally, adolescent nutritional literature recommends limiting pre-match weight loss to 3-5% body weight due to noted kidney damage that may result from larger deficits. Adolescent wrestlers are more prone to acute injuries than chronic overuse injuries, with most injuries occurring above the trunk. Primary care providers should consider obtaining imaging to rule out severe injuries or referring to specialist providers. Current guidelines for skin infections require frequent pre-match skin checks and mandatory waiting periods when certain infections are identified. However, the primary care provider is well-equipped for more in-depth skin examination, discussion of skin hygiene, and appropriate treatment of skin infections. Athletes attempting to meet lower weight classes may put themselves at risk of acute kidney damage, under-fueling, and eating disorders. Current guidelines attempt to mitigate excessive weight changes in the adolescent wrestler during competition season, but primary care providers should emphasize healthier methods of weight fluctuation and look for indicators of physiological or psychological effects.

Suicidal ideation in male UK military personnel who sustained a physical combat injury in Afghanistan and the mediating role of leaving service: The ADVANCE cohort study.

Suicidal Ideation (SI) is a risk factor for suicide, a leading cause of death amongst young men globally. In this study we assess whether sustaining a serious physical combat injury is associated with SI and whether leaving service mediates this association. We analysed data from male UK Armed Forces personnel who sustained a combat injury in Afghanistan and a frequency-matched comparison group who did not sustain such an injury (the ADVANCE cohort). SI was measured from the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item 'thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way'. Approximately, 11.9% (n = 61) of the uninjured group, 15.3% (n = 83) of the overall injured group, 8.5% (n = 13) of an Amputation injury (AI) subgroup and 17.6% (n = 70) of a Non-Amputation Injury (NAI) subgroup reported SI in the past 2 weeks. The NAI subgroup reported greater likelihood of SI (Relative Risk Ratio (RR) = 1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.04, 2.00]) compared to the comparison group, whereas the overall injured group (RR = 1.23, 95% CI [0.90, 1.68]) and AI subgroup (RR = 0.65, 95% CI [0.36, 1.18]) did not. Leaving service fully mediated the association between sustaining a NAI and SI (natural direct effect RR = 1.08, 95% CI [0.69, 1.69]). UK military personnel with NAI reported significantly higher rates of SI compared to demographically similar uninjured personnel, while those who sustained AIs reported no significant difference. Leaving service was associated with greater rates of SI for both injured and uninjured personnel and fully mediated the association between sustaining a NAI and SI.

Pain after combat injury in male UK military personnel deployed to Afghanistan

BackgroundChronic pain after injury poses a serious health burden. As a result of advances in medical technology, ever more military personnel survive severe combat injuries, but long-term pain outcomes are unknown. We aimed to assess rates of pain in a representative sample of UK military personnel with and without combat injuries. MethodsWe used data from the ADVANCE cohort study (ISRCTN57285353). Individuals deployed as UK armed forces to Afghanistan were recruited to include those with physical combat injuries, and a frequency-matched uninjured comparison group. Participants completed self-reported questionnaires, including ‘overall’ pain intensity and self-assessment of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. ResultsA total of 579 participants with combat injury, including 161 with amputations, and 565 uninjured participants were included in the analysis (median 8 yr since injury/deployment). Frequency of moderate or severe pain was 18% (n=202), and was higher in the injured group (n=140, 24%) compared with the uninjured group (n=62, 11%, relative risk: 1.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0–1.2, P<0.001), and lower in the amputation injury subgroup (n=31, 19%) compared with the non-amputation injury subgroup (n=109, 26%, relative risk: 0.9, 95% CI: 0.9–1.0, P=0.034). Presence of at least moderate pain was associated with higher rates of post-traumatic stress (RR: 3.7, 95% CI: 2.7–5.0), anxiety (RR: 3.2, 95% CI: 2.4–4.3), and depression (RR: 3.4, 95% CI: 2.7–4.5) after accounting for injury. ConclusionCombat injury, but not amputation, was associated with a higher frequency of moderate to severe pain intensity in this cohort, and pain was associated with adverse mental health outcomes.

Rhinoceros beetle (Trypoxylus dichotomus) cuticular hydrocarbons contain information about body size and sex.

Japanese rhinoceros beetle (Trypoxylus dichotomus) males have exaggerated horns that are used to compete for territories. Larger males with larger horns tend to win these competitions, giving them access to females. Agonistic interactions include what appears to be assessment and often end without escalating to physical combat. However, it is unknown what information competitors use to assess each other. In many insect species chemical signals can carry a range of information, including social position, nutritional state, morphology, and sex. Specifically, cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), which are waxes excreted on the surface of insect exoskeletons, can communicate a variety of information. Here, we asked whether CHCs in rhinoceros beetles carry information about sex, body size, and condition that could be used by males during assessment behavior. Multivariate analysis of hydrocarbon composition revealed patterns associated with both sex and body size. We suggest that Rhinoceros beetles could be communicating information through CHCs that would explain behavioral decisions.

"Harnessing the Potential of Karate: Essential in the Modern World, narrated by Karate Coach Dr. Pradeep Kumar Yadav" (a Black Belt 3rd DAN in Karate from the World Karate Federation, Spain).

Karate, a traditional martial art originating from Japan, has long fascinated people around the globe. However, its significance extends beyond the realm of physical combat. In today's fast-paced and competitive world, where personal well-being and self-protection are paramount, the power of Karate emerges as an essential skill. This essay argues that Karate is not merely a form of self-defense, but a comprehensive discipline with immense physical and mental benefits. By examining its historical roots, physical techniques, mental discipline, and cultural importance, this essay will demonstrate why the practice of Karate is imperative in today's world.

Oviposition fluids from adult wasps mediate interspecific competition between parasitoid larvae

Abstract Parasitoid wasp larvae engage in intense interspecific competition when sharing a host insect, with lethal consequences for the losers. Larval parasitoid competition is generally thought to be resolved by physical traits, such as enlarged mandibles. Although solitary parasitoid larvae are typically superior competitors against gregarious larvae, such physical traits are unlikely to be effective against large numbers of competitors. Larval competition may instead be mediated by maternal factors that increase the survival of offspring facing interspecific competition, thus increasing parental fitness. When laying eggs inside a host, many female parasitoids also inject oviposition fluids that are known to suppress host immune responses, permitting successful offspring development. We explored whether the oviposition fluids of two wasp species in the genus Cotesia (Cotesia rubecula, a strong competitor that almost always wins interspecific competition against a weaker competitor, Cotesia glomerata) might also represent maternal factors that improve the interspecific competitive ability of their offspring. We demonstrate that injections of both venom and calyx fluid from C. rubecula can inhibit egg hatching and larval development of C. glomerata. Venom from C. rubecula decreased C. glomerata egg development by 2.7 times, and calyx fluid injections caused deformities in 23% of developing C. glomerata. In contrast, reciprocal injections of the oviposition fluids from C. glomerata did not inhibit the development of C. rubecula. Our results show that maternal factors can improve the interspecific competitive ability of parasitoid larvae, challenging the previous assumptions that larval competition was resolved primarily through physical combat or larval secretions.

Evolution of territoriality in Hylinae treefrogs: Ecological and morphological correlates and lineage diversification.

Given the diverse nature of traits involved in territorial defence, they may respond to different selective pressures and then exhibit distinct patterns of evolution. These selective pressures also may cause territorial behaviour to be associated with environmental and morphological variables. Such associations, however, have mostly been studied at the intraspecific level, being phylogenetic analyses of territoriality in a broad taxonomic framework rare in the literature. We used the anuran subfamily Hylinae to test (1) whether two territorial-behaviour traits with different levels of aggression-territorial call and physical combat-are evolutionarily more labile than a morphological trait used in physical combat-the spine-shaped prepollex; (2) whether reproduction in lentic waters and phytotelmata, as well as resource scarcity, might favour the occurrence of territoriality; (3) if physical combat is more important than territorial call for the evolution of body size and sexual size dimorphism and (4) the relationships between territorial-behaviour traits and lineage diversification. We mainly used the literature to build two datasets with different levels of certainty. Territorial-behaviour traits exhibited intermediate levels of phylogenetic signal in Hylinae, whereas the phylogenetic signal for the presence of the spine-shaped prepollex was strong. We found support for the hypothesis that reproduction in lentic water favours the occurrence of territorial behaviour, because the expression of territorial-behaviour traits was more associated with reproduction in lentic than in lotic waters. Territorial-behaviour traits were not correlated with annual precipitation nor with habitat complexity. Body size and sexual size dimorphism were not correlated with the presence of territorial call nor with physical combat. We identified negative correlations between diversification rates and physical combat. Relationships of territorial call and physical combat with diversification rates suggest that these territorial behaviours influence evolutionary processes in different ways.

Religious Radicalism: Deconstructing The Interpretation Of The Verse Of Jihad In The Qur'an

The purpose of this research is to describe the meaning of jihad in the perspective of the mufassirs, so that this jihad can be interpreted for the Muslim community not only in the form of fighting with physical combat and weapons, but has a deeper meaning than that. This research is a literature study (library research) by collecting data on primary and secondary sources related to the research theme. The results of this study can be concluded, that radical in substance and associated with the content of jihad contextually, the meaning of radicals who use terror activities. Terror can be interpreted as curbing da'wah and not broadcasting da'wah and Islamic law, on the basis that the strength of a Muslim's da'wah rests on the strength of faith, so that in its activities it shows the behaviour of believers to encourage amar ma'ruf and eliminate evil in a ma'ruf manner as well. Therefore, jihad in faith is a condition and situation in which a person will continuously preach in a ma'ruf manner until the evil disappears with the awareness of the perpetrators. Meanwhile, treasure jihad is the spirit of sacrifice in building Islamic law; building mosques in isolated places, donating property to the poor so that they can survive, and other things that require material in building the spread of Islam.

Spiritualism Seeks Sword for Self Defense Konark, World Heritage Site: Hieroglyphics – Katha

Hindu adhyatmais ‘consciousness about the soul, its perimeter (time &amp; space), purpose, practices &amp; prognosis’. It is not an ism (dogma). It is a way of life. The Hindu scholar is termed a ‘Brahmana’. Pan globally and historically, scholars are known as incapable of physical combat &amp; self-defense; require extra mural physical protection. Post the fall of Constantinople (c. 1453 A.D.) to the Jihadists, Islam (peaceful) went murderously viral (The Thesis), and became Muslim (sequestering).The Hindus (riparian beings) in sub-continent India were slaughtered; homesteads, women &amp; livelihoods were taken away; worship &amp; ritual places were done to dust or converted. Faced with barbarians, an existential crisis had arisen out of such historical processes. The docile\timid (kafir) spiritual Brahmans (scholar) had then opted for the mace, muscle, sword, and shield (Anti-Thesis). The ecclesiastical system was maintained side-by-side (Synthesis). The UNESCO world heritage site of Konarak (c.13th A.D., Odisa, India,) has artifacts informing the beholder via hieroglyphics that the then state had played such role quite tellingly, took pride in the might of arms, pomp, in proclaiming defense at of the invader; protection of the erudite; and the gamp seeker. Sanatan survived. Data &amp; discussions about any such military counter have remained due. First time. Nascent attempt. Theoretical history about such complex process paths. Non-revisionist.

Limited effects of inbreeding on breeding coloration.

Animal color signals may function as indicators of fighting ability when males compete for access to females. This allows opponents to settle aggressive interactions before they escalate into physical combat and injury. Thus, there may be strong directional selection on these traits, toward enhanced signal quality. This renders sexually selected traits particularly susceptible to inbreeding depression, due to relatively low ratios of additive genetic variance to dominance variance. We measured the effects of inbreeding on an intrasexually selected color signal (the badge) in a population of Swedish sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) using the Rhh software based on 17 to 21 microsatellites. Males of this sexually dichromatic species use the badge during aggressive interactions to display, and assess, fighting ability. We found negative effects of homozygosity on badge size, saturation, and brightness. However, no such effects were observed on color hue. Pairwise correlations between badge size, hue, and saturation were all statistically significant. Thus, the sand lizard "badge" is a multicomponent signal with variation explained by covariation in badge size, saturation, and color hue. Body mass corrected for skeletal size (body condition) positively predicted badge size and saturation, encouraging future research on the extent that sexual signals may convey information on multigene targets (i.e. "genic capture").

Mission Impact Analysis by Measuring the Effect on Physical Combat Operations Associated With Cyber Asset Damage

Mission Impact Analysis by Measuring the Effect on Physical Combat Operations Associated With Cyber Asset Damage

Mental health outcomes of male UK military personnel deployed to Afghanistan and the role of combat injury: analysis of baseline data from the ADVANCE cohort study

The long-term psychosocial outcomes of UK armed forces personnel who sustained serious combat injuries during deployment to Afghanistan are largely unknown. We aimed to assess rates of probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and mental health-associated multimorbidity in a representative sample of serving and ex-serving UK military personnel with combat injuries, compared with rates in a matched sample of uninjured personnel. This analysis used baseline data from the ADVANCE cohort study, in which injured individuals were recruited from a sample of UK armed forces personnel who were deployed to Afghanistan and had physical combat injuries, according to records provided by the UK Ministry of Defence. Participants from the uninjured group were frequency-matched by age, rank, regiment, deployment, and role on deployment. Participants were recruited through postal, email, and telephone invitations. Participants completed a comprehensive health assessment, including physical health assessment and self-reported mental health measures (PTSD Checklist, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7). The mental health outcomes were rates of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and mental health-associated multimorbidity in the injured and uninjured groups. The ADVANCE study is ongoing and is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN57285353. 579 combat-injured participants (161 with amputation injuries and 418 with non-amputation injuries) and 565 uninjured participants were included in the analysis. Participants had a median age of 33 years (IQR 30-37 years) at the time of assessment. 90·3% identified as White and 9·7% were from all other ethnic groups. The rates of PTSD (16·9% [n=89] vs 10·5% [n=53]; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1·67 [95% CI 1·16-2·41], depression (23·6% [n=129] vs 16·8% [n=87]; AOR 1·46 [1·08-2·03]), anxiety (20·8% [n=111] vs 13·5% [n=71]; AOR 1·56 [1·13-2·24]) and mental health-associated multimorbidity (15·3% [n=81] vs 9·8% [n=49]; AOR 1·62 [1·12-2·49]) were greater in the injured group than the uninjured group. Minimal differences in odds of reporting any poor mental health outcome were noted between the amputation injury subgroup and the uninjured group (AOR range 0·77-0·97), whereas up to double the odds were noted for the non-amputation injury subgroup compared with the uninjured group (AOR range 1·74-2·02). Serious physical combat injuries were associated with poor mental health outcomes. However, the type of injury sustained influenced this relationship. Regardless of injury, this cohort represents a group who present with greater rates of PTSD than the general population, as well as increased psychological burden from multimorbidity. The ADVANCE Charity.

Long-term mental health impacts of wounded UK combat personnel

During Operation Herrick, more than 2200 British combat personnel were wounded in action in Afghanistan and admitted to field hospitals.1 Almost 20 years have passed since this Operation began, and it was with interest that I read Daniel Dyball and colleagues’ Article2 examining the long-term psychosocial outcomes of serious physical combat injury.

Between Fight and Theatrical Performance: Conceptual Metaphors of Positionality in Communication about Cooperative Religious Education in Germany

Whereas previous research has focused on religious education (RE), teachers’ religious attitudes, and personal religiosity, no studies to date have examined their experiences or discussion of positionality in a RE setting. The denominational-cooperative model of RE serves as a specific opportunity for such research since common denominational RE is a setting where denominational positionality seems to be an obvious factor beyond debate. Based on the analysis of RE teachers’ conversations on cooperative RE in Germany, the paper presents results of qualitative research into the conceptual metaphors of positionality and taking a position. In the analysis we found a consistent framing of experiences of positionality under three major conceptual metaphors with their source domains allocated to the semantic fields of motion, physical combat, and theatrical play. Since conceptual metaphors are assumed to stem from embodied experiences, to structure human thought, and can be found in language, the discussion of the data deals with the impression that these conceptual metaphors shape the RE teachers’ agency, i.e., the way they teach in the denominational-cooperative religious education classroom.

All-textile sensors for boxing punch force and velocity detection

All-textile-based wearable sensors attract immense interest as a big data collection platform for human motion detection, providing multifunctionality, high sensitivity, and excellent wearing comfort for sports applications. Herein, we demonstrate a flexible bimodal all-textile sensor design with touchless and tactile detection capability via a scalable and cost-effective fabrication route for sensitive motion detection. The slight changes in the surrounding microenvironment such as pressure, and proximity distance can be continuously and simultaneously detected by the bimodal all-textile sensor based on a 3D hierarchical spacer fabric dielectric layer and nickel fabric electrode. The bimodal all-textile sensor exhibits a superior tactile sensing sensitivity (0.33 kPa−1), an ultralow detection limit (0.25 Pa), excellent touchless performance (detection distance of 20 cm, maximum relative capacitance changes of 20%), and comfortable textile properties, such as excellent air breathability (448.77 mm/s)) and moisture permeability (147.11 g/(m2 h)), mechanical stability (> 10,000 cycles), and low manufacturing cost (6.5 $/m2). Our bimodal all-textile sensor with high performance and cost-effectiveness presents substantial advantages for smart textiles and garments used in the intelligent digitalization of physical combat sports training applications.

Extrinsic Inter- and Intraspecific Competition in Parasitoid Wasps

The diverse ecology of parasitoids is shaped by extrinsic competition, i.e., exploitative or interference competition among adult females and males for hosts and mates. Adult females use an array of morphological, chemical, and behavioral mechanisms to engage in competition that may be either intra- or interspecific. Weaker competitors are often excluded or, if they persist, use alternate host habitats, host developmental stages, or host species. Competition among adult males for mates is almost exclusively intraspecific and involves visual displays, chemical signals, and even physical combat. Extrinsic competition influences community structure through its role in competitive displacement and apparent competition. Finally, anthropogenic changes such as habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, pollutants, and climate change result in phenological mismatches and range expansions within host-parasitoid communities with consequent changes to the strength of competitive interactions. Such changes have important ramifications not only for the success of managed agroecosystems, but also for natural ecosystem functioning.

Musth and sexual selection in elephants: a review of signalling properties and potential fitness consequences

Abstract Sexual selection mediated by multimodal signals is common among polygynous species, including seasonally breeding mammals. Indirect benefit models provide plausible explanations for how and why mate selection can occur in the absence of direct benefits. Musth — an asynchronous reproductive state in male elephants — facilitates both inter- and intrasexual selection via indirect benefits, and it is further communicated through a multimodal signal. In this review, we synthesise existing evidence that supports the hypothesis that musth is a multimodal signal subject to sexual selection and that male elephants increase their direct fitness by propagating this signal while females accrue indirect benefits. Musth is characterised by a suite of physiological and behavioural changes, serving to facilitate copulation between the sexes, and via multisensory modalities musth conveys honest information about the condition of a male. Female elephants mate preferentially with musth males, increasing their own fitness in the absence of direct benefits. In addition, musth resolves dynamic dominance hierarchies among male elephants and often eliminates the need for costly physical combat. Future work in this field should investigate potential postcopulatory selection mechanisms in elephants, including sperm competition and cryptic female choice. These topics join other fundamental questions related to sexual selection, signalling, and indirect benefits that are still unanswered in elephants.

Developmental Nutrition Affects the Structural Integrity of a Sexually Selected Weapon.

Males in many species engage in physical combat over access to mates, and sexual selection has led to the evolution of weapons to enhance contest performance. The size of these often-elaborate structures is known to be exquisitely sensitive to nutrition. However, we know very little about the degree to which nutrition affects other attributes of animal weapons that can be crucial to fighting. In this study, we investigated the impact of natural dietary variation on weapon structural integrity in a fighting insect, Narnia femorata (Hemiptera: Coreidae). Males in this species display their enlarged, spiny hind legs to other males, and these legs serve as weapons in aggressive physical contests where they are used to strike and squeeze opponents. N. femorata feeds on the fruit of prickly pear cactus and sets up territories on this plant. In North Central Florida the prickly pear Opuntia mesacantha ssp. lata blooms and begins to produce fruits in April and May. N. femorata has multiple, overlapping generations while the green fruits slowly ripen over the next several months. We examined insects reaching adulthood at two nearby time points in this range, June and July, to test the influence of the nutrition provided by ripening green cactus fruit on weapon size and its ability to resist puncture. We also raised insects on cactus with red, ripe fruit for comparison. We found a striking effect of cactus fruit phenology on weapons. Insects raised with the more mature green fruit (those in the second cohort) had 71% larger weapon area and 4.4 times greater puncture resistance than those raised on the early green fruit (those in the first cohort). In contrast, insects raised on red, ripe fruit were moderate in size, had high puncture resistance, and they changed little phenotypically from the first to second cohort. Increased structural integrity of the hind femur weapon was associated with the increased body size that came with better nutrition. This pattern highlights that cuticle thickness increased or its material properties changed when weapons were larger. Importantly, effects of nutrition on puncture resistance also transcended size. Insects of the same size had greater structural integrity if they received superior nutrition. Sexually selected weapons are often used as visual signals to conspecifics before fights, and this work hints that the size of the weapons may be a poor signal of weapon performance when nutrition is variable.

Are oil spills enhancing outbreaks of red tides in the Chinese coastal waters from 1973 to 2017?

Between 1973 and 2017, evidences of red tide outbreaks and oil spill accidents in the Chinese coastal waters were collected. Statistical analysis and multiple regression models were used to determine the relationship between the red tide and the oil spill. Major findings reveal that (1) the frequency of red tides positively correlates to the number of oil spills and the volume of oil spilled as well; (2) the higher percentage of small spills (< 7 tonnes) are more likely to enhance the outbreaks of red tides; (3) both EI Niño and storm events do not show any relationship with red tides; and (4) more severe oil spill with penalty recorded implies a higher possibility to trigger the red tide afterwards. Therefore, oil spill contingency management focusing on small oil spills and mitigating their spill effect by physical measures could be of benefit to decrease the frequency of red tides significantly. For example, it is suggested to carry out physical combat instead of chemical dispersants to remove the spilled small oil in the shallow coastal areas for reducing the outbreak risk of red tides after the oil spill.

Electoral Violence in Zanzibar: Drivers and Early Warning Mechanisms

Abstract Elections are an integral part of any democracy. They serve as a mechanism for legitimising a political system – its succession of government and leaders – for linking political institutions with voters, and for holding the elected government and leaders accountable to the electorate. Yet, due to the combative nature of competition for political power in high-stake contexts, elections may lead to violence. Usually this happens if key stakeholders anticipate the proceedings will not be free and fair, while those seeking to retain or gain political power show no qualms about resorting to extraordinary measures such as using force in order to win. Sometimes there exist underlying causes of electoral violence such as exclusion, inequality, or a history of ethnic tensions. Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous group of islands off the mainland coast of the United Republic of Tanzania, exhibits such a case whereby almost every one of its general elections has been marred with violence. Today, as the concern escalates over threats of immanent physical combat related to elections in so-called ‘advanced’ democracies, it is illuminating to revisit the drivers of electoral violence in Zanzibar, and to reconsider the efficacy of its early warning mechanisms, since the inception of Zanzibar’s multiparty politics in 1992.