Previous Season Research Articles

What Factors Influence the Injuries of Canoeists and Kayakers over the Years?

(1) Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the number of injuries in the canoe and kayak disciplines. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional and retrospective epidemiological study was conducted on a convenience sample of elite canoeists and kayakers during the Spanish Championships of each canoeing and kayaking modality. Retrospective data were collected on the number, body area, type, and severity of injuries sustained in previous seasons, as well as other affiliation data. Four separate multiple linear regression models were used to investigate the impact of the sports mode of canoeing, age, and sex on the occurrence of injuries. (3) Results: The findings indicate a distinction in injury frequency between canoeing and kayaking modalities, with injuries being more common in canoeing. The occurrence of mild injuries decreases with age among canoeists, while remaining consistent in kayaking. As athletes age, confidence intervals increase. Canoeists have a higher injury probability, and across all injury types, men have a lower injury risk. (4) Conclusions: The frequency of injuries is higher in the canoe modality across all age groups. Coaches and athletes should be well-informed about the insights provided in this study to implement targeted injury prevention strategies, especially in women canoeists.

Same game, different worlds? General conditions, perceived stress, and associations between stress and past season injuries in elite female and male ice hockey players.

Ice hockey is played by women and men but the arena they play in may differ substantially. Potential differences in general conditions to play the sport may be associated to perceived stress, which has shown to be related to athletic injury in other sports. Therefore, this study aimed to describe and compare general conditions for playing ice hockey, stress levels, and the association between perceived stress and injury occurrence among elite female and male players. Prior to the 2022-2023 season all female and male players from the top ice hockey leagues in Sweden were invited to an online survey. Players provided information about their general conditions for playing ice hockey and reported perceived stress during the previous season on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10; sum score range 0-40) and current stress on the Single Item Stress Question (SISQ; scale range 1-5). Injuries during the previous season were self-reported on a modified version of the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center - Overuse Injury Questionnaire. We received responses from 360 players (170 females and 190 males). Female players more frequently reported additional occupations besides ice hockey and less medical support during games and practices than male players (p < .001). General stress levels were significantly higher among female players (mean PSS score [SD]: 17.4 [5.6] vs 14.1 [5.6], p < 0.001; SISQ median [IQR]: 3 [2-3] vs 2 [1-3], p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant but weak correlation between past season injury and perceived stress (PSS score: rho 0.29; SISQ: rho 0.24). This correlation was stronger among males than females (PSS score: 0.38 vs 0.162; SISQ: 0.29 vs 0.16, p's < 0.05). Players with substantial injuries during previous season had higher previous and current stress levels than players without injury, a difference that was largest and statistically significant only among male players. General conditions for playing elite ice hockey are inequal for female and male athletes. Stress levels of elite ice hockey players were comparable to the general population. Experience of severe injuries during the previous season was associated to higher levels of perceived stress. This association is stronger among male players, which may be due to greater economic dependency.

COVID-19 vaccination and potential predictors for vaccination among students in Bulgarian medical universities

University students, especially those in healthcare sciences, are of particular importance in COVID-19 vaccine views since their future careers will allow them to educate citizens regarding vaccination. The study examined COVID-19 immunisation coverage, behaviours, and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines among students in Bulgarian medical universities. A prospective cross-sectional study was undertaken in September 2021- January 2022. Demographics, university programme, year of study, general vaccine attitudes and behaviour, and personal experience with COVID-19 and vaccines were collected. The chi-square test was used to test for associations and binominal logistic regression to identify possible predictors for vaccination. A total of 3050 students with a median age of 22 years, predominantly female participated. Three-quarters of the students (73.5%) have been vaccinated against COVID-19. An association was found between COVID-19 vaccination and influenza vaccination in the previous season (χ2 = 67.15, p < 0.001) as well as the intention to receive the flu vaccine in the current season (χ2 = 142.83, p < 0.001). Vaccine hesitation mainly stemmed from fear of side effects and safety concerns, but non-vaccinated students voiced them more often. Respondents who were less likely to be vaccinated considered themselves to have: (a) limited access to sufficient information to allow them to make an informed decision to vaccinate against COVID-19; (b) lack of public awareness and education campaigns about COVID-19 vaccines; (c) insufficient information about COVID-19 vaccines during university education that would allow them to make an informed decision to vaccinate; and (d) had a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Informational initiatives that emphasise vaccine safety will boost COVID-19 immunisation coverage.

Real-life experience on COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccines co-administration in the vaccination hub of the University Hospital of Palermo, Italy

ABSTRACT With the pandemic, there has been a global reduction in influenza virus circulation, with WHO reporting, during 2021/22 season, laboratory testing positivity rate for influenza of less than 3%. Influenza surveillance systems anticipated a peak of influenza cases in the Northern Hemisphere during 2022/2023 season and the Italian Ministry of Health recommended the routinary co-administration of influenza with bivalent COVID-19 vaccines for the 2022/2023 season. At the Vaccination Hub of the University Hospital (UH) of Palermo, more than 700 subjects received influenza and COVID-19 booster doses in co-administration, during the 2021/2022 season. A cross-sectional study analyzing attitudes and factors associated with adherence to influenza and COVID-19 seasonal vaccines co-administration was conducted at the Vaccination Hub of the UH of Palermo, from October to December 2022. Among the 1,263 respondents, 74.7% (n = 944) received the co-administration of seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. The main reason reported for accepting it was confidence in the recommendations of the Health Ministry (41.3%). At the multivariable analysis, subjects aged ≤ 59 y old (AdjOR: 2.48; CIs95%: 1.89–3.65), male (AdjOR: 1.51; CIs95%: 1.27–1.75), Health-care professionals (HCPs) (AdjOR: 1.66; CIs95%: 1.08–2.57) and those who received co-administration during 2021/2022 (AdjOR: 41.6; CIs95%: 25.5–67.9) were significantly more prone to receive co-administration during 2022/23 season. From data obtained, the role of HCPs in accepting and then promoting co-administration of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines is crucial, as well as receiving co-administration in the previous season that represented the main drive for accepting it in the following seasons, supporting safety and effectiveness of this procedure.

Properties of influenza viruses that caused epidemic increases in morbidity in Russia and countries of the world during 2022–2023. The effectiveness of vaccine prophylaxis

The purpose of this work was to determine the characteristics of the circulation of various viral respiratory pathogens during the epidemic season 2022–2023 against the background of the ongoing evolutionary variability of SARS-CoV-2.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The article uses methods used in «traditional» and «hospital» epidemiological surveillance of acute respiratory viral infections.&#x0D; Results and discussion. The period from October 2022 to September 2023 was characterized by early and high activity of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, which was replaced by influenza B virus. The antigenic and genetic properties of strains were closely related to influenza vaccines viruses recommended by WHO experts for the current season. The effectiveness of influenza vaccines was confirmed (75.0%). All of the studied influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B epidemic strais retained sensitivity to drugs with antineuraminidase activity. The structure and share of other ARVI pathogens have changed somewhat compared to the previous season: There was a tendency to increase the activity of HAdV and HMPV; almost equivalent activity of HRsV, HRV, HCoV and HBoV; and a decrease in HPIV activity. At the same time, the frequency of other ARVI pathogens did not reach the indicators of the pre-pandemic COVID-19 period. The rationale for updating the composition of influenza vaccines for the countries of the Northern Hemisphere in the 2023–2024 season is given.

Epidemiological situation of natural focal infections in the Volgograd region in 2023

Objective: analysis of epizootiological and epidemiological aspects of natural focal infections, namely plague, tularemia, HFRS, West Nile fever, Crimean hemorrhagic fever, Ixodic tick-borne borreliosis, Cu fever, leptospirosis and rabies, in the Volgograd region over 10 months in 2023.Materials and methods: the article analyzes the epidemiological manifestations of natural focal infections (NFI) in the Volgograd region for 10 months of 2023. The work uses official statistical data from institutions of Rospotrebnadzor of the Volgograd region on NFI for 2023. The main research method is epidemiological analysis.Results: the numbers of small mammals, potential carriers of NFI, on the territory of the Volgograd region in the 2023 season were within the same indicators of the previous year (SIPY), while the number of ticks in the spring-summer period was higher than the SIPY, but in the fall the number of arthropods in stationary points was lower than in previous seasons. The number of mosquitoes carrying arbovirus infections exceeded the long-term average. When studying environmental objects for the presence of markers of NFI pathogens, a slight decrease in the proportion of positive samples was noted compared to SIPY for all nosological forms. Over the 10 months of this year, there has been a deterioration in the epidemiological situation in the Volgograd region for several infections compared to the same period in 2022. There were 18 cases of West Nile fever (WNF), 10 cases of ixodid tick-borne borreliosis (ITB), and 6 cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). No patients with plague, tularemia, rabies, leptospirosis, Crimean hemorrhagic fever (CHF) and Q fever were identified.Conclusion: the presence of natural foci of dangerous infectious diseases of varying degrees of activity on the territory of the Volgograd region requires constant monitoring and an adequate response to changes in the foci in order to prevent complications of the epidemiological situation due to NFI.

Radial growth responses of Larix gmelinii to drought events in dry and wet areas of northern temperate forests

Drought stress caused by global climate warming affects tree growth in both dry and wet areas. However, the differences in tree growth responses to drought in dry and wet areas are poorly understood. Here, we collected 93 tree cores to analyze the differences in the radial growth responses of larch (Larix gmelinii) under climate change and tree growth resilience under drought events in the Altai Mountains (dry area) and Changbai Mountains (wet area). The results showed that larch growth in the Altai Mountains was significantly positively correlated with the self-calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index (sc-PDSI) in all months and precipitation in the previous growth season and May, whereas it was significantly (p < 0.05) negatively correlated with temperature in May and the previous June to August. In the Changbai Mountains, larch growth was significantly positively correlated with May maximum and mean temperature, and significantly positively and negatively correlated with precipitation in April and May，respectively (p < 0.05). The mean resistance (recovery) of larch growth to drought in wet areas were significantly stronger (weaker) than that in dry areas (p < 0.05). Moreover, strengthening the drought frequency led to a significant (p < 0.05) decline in larch resistance in dry areas. Therefore, warming-induced increases in drought stress will aggravate negative impacts on the radial growth of larch forests in temperate dry areas but not in wet areas in the future.

Isotopic offsets in throughfall and stemflow may have small effects on estimates of winter precipitation fractions

AbstractForest canopies alter the amount and isotopic composition of precipitation reaching the forest floor. Thus retention, evaporation and transport processes in forest canopies, and their effects on water isotopes, are key to understanding forest water cycling. Using a two‐year isotope dataset from a mixed beech/spruce forest in Zurich, Switzerland, we assessed the isotopic offsets between precipitation, throughfall and stemflow. We also analysed how these offsets affect estimates of the fraction of soil water that is derived from winter precipitation. Throughfall was typically enriched in heavy isotopes compared to precipitation, but isotopically lighter than stemflow, with average δ2H of −64.3 ‰, −59.9 ‰ and − 56.3 ‰ in precipitation, throughfall and stemflow, respectively. The differences between beech and spruce were rather small compared to the seasonal differences in precipitation isotopes. Isotopic offsets between precipitation and throughfall/stemflow were smaller during the spring and summer months (March through August) than during fall and winter (September through February). Bulk and mobile soil waters at 10 and 40 cm showed smaller seasonal variations than those in precipitation, throughfall and stemflow, and were isotopically lighter than recent precipitation, with the largest offsets occurring during the summer months (June through August) for bulk soil waters. Thus, bulk soil waters at both depths contain a mixture of precipitation from previous events and seasons, with over‐representation of isotopically lighter winter precipitation. Mobile soil waters were more similar to recent precipitation than bulk soil waters were. Throughfall isotopes were slightly heavier than precipitation isotopes, resulting in different sinusoidal fits for seasonal isotopic cycles in precipitation and throughfall. These differences lead to small underestimates in the fraction of soil water originating from winter precipitation, when open‐field precipitation rather than throughfall is used as the input data. Together our results highlight the importance of isotope measurements in throughfall and stemflow for the assessment of precipitation seasonality and water cycling across forested landscapes.

Interim Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Against Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza - California, October 2023-January 2024.

Surveillance data can provide rapid, within-season influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates to guide public health recommendations. Mandatory reporting of influenza vaccine administration to California's immunization information registry began January 1, 2023, and mandatory reporting of all influenza laboratory test results, including negative results, was instituted in California on June 15, 2023. These data, collected by the California Department of Public Health during October 1, 2023-January 31, 2024, were used to calculate interim influenza VE against laboratory-confirmed influenza by comparing the odds of vaccination among case-patients (persons who received a positive influenza laboratory test result) and control patients (those who received a negative influenza laboratory test result). VE was calculated as 1 - adjusted odds ratio using mixed-effects logistic regression, with age, race, and ethnicity as fixed effects and specimen collection week and county as random effects. Overall, during October 1, 2023-January 31, 2024, estimated VE was 45% among persons aged ≥6 months, 56% among children and adolescents aged 6 months-17 years, 48% among adults aged 18-49 years, 36% among those aged 50-64 years, and 30% among those aged ≥65 years. Consistent with some previous influenza seasons, influenza vaccination provided moderate protection against laboratory-confirmed influenza among infants, children, adolescents, and adults. All persons aged ≥6 months without a contraindication to vaccination should receive annual influenza vaccination to reduce influenza illness, severe influenza, and strain on health care resources. Influenza vaccination remains the best way to prevent influenza.

Experience of an Italian Pediatric Third Level Emergency Department during the 2022-2023 Bronchiolitis Epidemic: A Focus on Discharged Patients and Revisits.

The aim of this study was to describe the 2022-2023 bronchiolitis epidemic season (the second after COVID-19 pandemic and the first without social restriction), focusing on patients discharged home from a pediatric emergency department (PED) and on those revisited within 72 h. We performed a retrospective observational study in an Italian tertiary care children's hospital, reviewing PED accesses from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023. The number of hospitalizations for bronchiolitis was extracted from hospital discharge forms. A total of 512 patients diagnosed with bronchiolitis were admitted to PED (2.8% of total admissions). Accesses increased sharply from November to January, with a peak in December, in both admissions and hospitalizations. More than half of the patients (55.5%) were safely discharged home, while 38 (13.4%) came back to PED for a revisit. Overall PED accesses and hospitalizations for bronchiolitis increased since the previous epidemic season, and particularly compared to the pandemic and pre-pandemic eras. Empowering the collaboration between all healthcare provisioners is fundamental to suitable management of patients. Monitoring the epidemiology and seasonality of bronchiolitis is a starting point for an effective internal organization of pediatric departments and to further evaluate its socio-economic burden.

The coverage of influenza vaccination and predictors of influenza non-vaccination in Danish cancer patients: A nationwide register-based cohort study

BackgroundInfluenza vaccination is recommended and provided free-of-charge to Danish citizens aged ≥65 years and to individuals with acquired immunodeficiency. We aimed to estimate influenza vaccination coverage and investigate predictors of influenza non-vaccination in Danish cancer patients. MethodsA nationwide cohort study of all Danish citizens aged ≥18 years with an incident cancer diagnosis between 2002 and 2017. Using national registries, we assessed information on influenza vaccination and potential predictors of influenza non-vaccination. We estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) of influenza non-vaccination for patients aged <65 years and ≥65 years. ResultsWe observed 269,863 patients during 840,876 influenza vaccination seasons. The influenza vaccination coverage was 14 % for cancer patients <65 years and 51 % for those ≥65 years. No influenza vaccination in the previous season was associated with non-vaccination in the current season (<65 years: aPR = 2.75, 95 %CI = 2.71–2.80; ≥65 years: aPR = 5.15, 95 %CI = 5.10–5.21). Haematological cancer patients receiving chemotherapy had lower vaccination prevalence compared with those not receiving chemotherapy. ConclusionsThe influenza vaccination coverage was low among cancer patients. Influenza non-vaccination in the previous season was the strongest predictor of not receiving influenza vaccination in the current season. Haematological cancer patients on current chemotherapy had lower vaccination prevalence than those not currently receiving chemotherapy.

Resurgence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in the Summer of 2021 in Denmark-a Large out-of-season Epidemic Affecting Older Children.

When coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions were lifted in Denmark in the spring of 2021, a surge in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases followed, causing a large out-of-season epidemic. This study aims to investigate the summer epidemic compared with 3 typical pre-COVID-19 RSV winter seasons using Danish registers to identify RSV cases, RSV-related admissions, and use of intensive care treatment. Incidence rates (IR) per 1000 person-years for RSV cases, RSV-related admissions, and intensive care treatment were calculated with 95% confidence interval (CI) for each season, stratified by age groups and incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% CI were calculated to compare the summer epidemic with the winter season for 2019-2020. In the summer epidemic, the IR of RSV cases and admissions exceeded previous winter seasons for all age groups. The highest increases in IRs were seen among children aged 2 to 3 years and 4 to 5 years. The IRR of cases were 4.6 (95% CI, 4.1-5.2) and 3.3 (2.6-4.2) and the IRR of admissions were 3.3 (2.7-4.2) and 3.8 (2.3-6.5) in the 2 age groups, respectively, when compared with the winter season 2019-2020. Likely because of immunity debt following COVID-19 restrictions, the summer epidemic was significantly larger than previous winter seasons, most markedly among children aged 2 to 3 and 4 to 5 years but had a similar disease severity spectrum.

Influenza vaccination patterns among at-risk patients during the Covid-19 pandemic-a retrospective cross-sectional study based on claims data.

The Covid-19 pandemic may have encouraged at-risk patients to get vaccinated against influenza for the first time. As previous vaccinations are known predictors for further vaccinations, knowledge about individual vaccination patterns, especially in first time vaccinated patients, is of great interest. The aim of this study was to determine influenza vaccination uptake rate (VUR), individual vaccination patterns and factors associated with vaccination uptake among at-risk patients. The study design was retrospective cross-sectional. Based on claims data, VUR was determined for four influenza seasons (2018/2019-2021/2022). In a cohort subgroup, with data available for all seasons, VUR, vaccination patterns and factors associated with uptake were determined. At-risk patients were people aged ≥ 65 and adult patients with chronic diseases. We included n = 238,461 patients in the cross-sectional analysis. Overall VUR ranged between 21.8% (2018/2019) and 29.1% (2020/2021). Cohort subgroup consisted of n = 138,526 patients. Within the cohort, 56% were never vaccinated and 11% were vaccinated in all seasons. 14.3% of previously unvaccinated patients were vaccinated for the first time in the first pandemic season (2020/2021 season). The strongest predictor for vaccination was history of vaccinations in all previous seasons (OR 56.20, 95%CI 53.62-58.90, p < 0.001). Influenza VUR increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, but only a minority of previously eligible but unvaccinated at-risk patients were vaccinated for the first time in the first pandemic season. Previous vaccinations are predictors for subsequent vaccinations and health care professionals should actively address at-risk patients' vaccination history in order to recommend vaccination in future seasons.

Enzootic Circulation, Massive Gull Mortality and Poultry Outbreaks during the 2022/2023 High-Pathogenicity Avian Influenza H5N1 Season in the Czech Republic.

In 2022/2023, Europe experienced its third consecutive season of high-pathogenicity avian influenza. During this period, the Czech Republic was again severely affected. For the first time, the number of culled birds approached one million, which was three times higher than in previous seasons. In parallel to the outbreaks in poultry, mass die-offs of gulls were also observed. In the present study, we performed whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 137 H5N1 strains collected in the Czech Republic in 2022/2023 (94.6% of all outbreaks or locations). The analysis revealed four distinct genotypes: AB, CH, BB and AF. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the AF genotype persisted from the previous H5N1 season without reassortment. In addition, the genotype BB, which was detected mainly in gulls, showed a noticeable strain diversity at the local level. This virus was also responsible for a single outbreak in commercially bred turkeys. Finally, an interesting spatio-temporal cluster with three co-circulating H5N1 genotypes, AB, CH and AF, was identified with no evidence of intrasubtype reassortment. Highly sensitive molecular surveillance and the timely sharing of genomic sequences and associated metadata could greatly assist in tracking the spread and detecting molecular changes associated with the increased virulence of this potentially zoonotic pathogen.

Determination of Electricity Production by Fuzzy Logic Method

With the increase in the need for electrical energy, production amount planning is of great importance in order not to experience restrictions in terms of use, to meet the required electricity production, and to evaluate the excess production efficiently. In this study, a generation forecasting model was created with the fuzzy logic method to determine the electricity generation strategy. The created model is aimed to determine the electrical energy that needs to be produced daily by using the previous day's production amount, temperature, and season data. Three separate sets of data were used to test the fuzzy logic model built using information from the General Directorate of Meteorology (GDM) and Energy Markets Operations Inc. (EMOI). Fuzzy Logic was used to predict the data and the accuracy rates were found to be high. An improvement was observed when the accuracy rates were compared with the accuracy rates obtained in the Multiple Linear Regression Model. The accuracy rates of the model were initially examined using the Fuzzy Logic approach on weekdays and weekends, followed by a seasonal analysis and an assessment of the model's performance. As a result of the analysis, it was observed that the model worked with high accuracy in the autumn season and on weekend days.

Seasonal dynamics of the Upper Ob zoobenthos

results of studies of the seasonal dynamics of the Upper Ob zoobenthos in the city of Novosibirsk are presented. Zoobenthos rivers Ob the growing season of 2022, the Ob was represented by 6 systematic classes: bivalves (Bivalvia) and gastropods (Gastropoda), small-lobed worms (Oligochaeta),leeches (Hirudinea), multi-legged crayfish (Amphipoda), insects (Insecta), including from the orders of mayflies (Efemeroptera), brooks (Trichoptera) and diptera (Diptera) from the families of bell mosquitoes (Chironomidae) and woodlice (Ceratopogonidae). A total of 43 species of invertebrates have been found. The largest number of taxa was observed in summer — 27, the minimum in autumn — 16. During the entire growing season, chironomid larvae and gastropods were observed in the benthic fauna. In the spring, the maximum species diversity was noted in the family of bell mosquitoes (Chironomidae) — 18 out of 24 of the total composition. The larvae of chironomids played the main role in the number, in the biomass — an autoacclimatizant — a gastropod mollusk (Viviparus viviparus (L.), belonging to a benthic non-feed for fish. The specific weight of this species in the total biomass reached 92.7%. In summer, V. viviparus (L.) dominated both in abundance and in biomass. The zoobenthos of the autumn period was characterized by a decrease in species diversity and abundance compared to previous seasons: 16 species from 5 classes were oted in the species composition, the number decreased by almost 2 times. The gastropod mollusk V. viviparus (L.) dominated in all indicators, as in summer. The average number of zoobenthos during the growing season was 527 copies/m2, the average biomass was 532,388 g/m2, of which 222 copies/m2 and 531,463 g/m2 were autoacclimatizant gastropod mollusk V. viviparus (L.).

The Surgical Management of NCAA Division 1 College Football Injuries Post COVID-19: A Single Institution Retrospective Review.

Cohen, JL, Cade, WH, Harrah, TC, Costello II, JP, and Kaplan, LD. The surgical management of NCAA Division 1 college football injuries post COVID-19: A single institution retrospective review. J Strength Cond Res 38(5): 906-911, 2024-The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on college football operations, including athletes' training regimens. As a result of these changes, concern for increased injury susceptibility post COVID-19 regulations has become a point of discussion. The current study sought to evaluate the incidence of surgical injury among NCAA Division 1 college football players at the authors' institution during the first full season after start of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with previous years. Retrospective chart review was performed for all players who sustained injuries requiring surgery while a member of the NCAA Division 1 football program during the 2009-2021 seasons. A p -value of ≤0.05 was used to determine significance. A total of 23 surgical injuries occurred in 22 players during the 2021 season compared with 121 in 118 players in the 12 previous seasons combined ( p = 0.0178; RR = 1.47). There was a significant increase in shoulder injuries ( n = 13 vs. n = 31; p = <0.0001; RR = 3.05) and specifically a significant increase in labral tears ( n = 10 vs. n = 30; p = 0.0003; RR = 2.74). No difference was seen in knee injuries ( n = 10 vs. n = 77; p = 0.27; RR = 1.35) and specifically no difference in anterior cruciate ligament injuries ( n = 3 vs. n = 31; p = 0.77; RR = 1.17). This phenomenon is multifactorial in nature, but alterations to players' training and preparations because of the COVID-19 pandemic likely resulted in suboptimal conditioning, leading to the increased incidence of surgical injuries emphasizing the importance of adequate strength training and conditioning.

Effects of the COVID-19 induced cotton crisis on agricultural production and livelihoods of smallholders in southern Mali

Smallholder farming systems are vulnerable to disruptions. The COVID-19 pandemic weakened the financial ability of the Malian government in the 2020–21 growing season to subsidize cotton farmers’ access to mineral fertilizers and the cotton company (CMDT) could not offer a good cotton price. Consequently, farmers refused to grow cotton, leading to a cotton crisis with implications on crop production and farmers’ livelihoods. We used data collected over three consecutive growing seasons in the old cotton basin of Koutiala and analysed them using two-way mixed ANOVA over selected indicators related to farm and household components. The analysis was done for farms of different resource endowment, through comparing the cotton crisis season to the two previous normal seasons. Besides the abandonment of cotton, the total cropped area and area devoted to maize reduced in 2020–21, while the area allocated to millet, sorghum and cowpea increased, especially for cotton farmers with medium and high resource endowments. In addition, the nitrogen use intensity dropped at the farm level and particularly for the cereal crops, but without negative effect on yields of maize, millet and sorghum. Food self-sufficiency and income per capita significantly increased for the medium resource farms, while income dropped for the high resource farms with large herds. The farming system was able to absorb the shock of limited access to fertilizer for one season, due to the elimination of otherwise strong labour competition between cotton and cereal crops, favourable weather conditions and farmers’ responsive coping with the cotton crisis. This study revealed the importance of disaggregated livelihood evaluations, because resource endowments have implications not only for the actual effect on livelihoods, but also for farmers’ adaptive capacity.

Should I Stay or Should I Go Pro? Early NFL Draft Entry by NCAA FBS Underclassmen

Some college players face the tradeoff between continuing their education and entering the draft and forfeiting college eligibility. Little empirical research focuses on this “stay or go pro” decision. We analyze early draft entry decisions made by college football underclassmen with remaining eligibility over the 2007/08-2018/19 seasons. Regression results support both the human capital explanation for early draft entry in that players acquiring more human capital in the previous season by playing in more games increases the likelihood of early entry and the option value perspective in that playing on a more successful team increases the likelihood of early entry.

Snow accumulation specifics in Moscow in winter 2023/24

The paper presents the results of studies of snow accumulation peculiarities in Moscow in winter 2023/24 and compares them with the previous winter seasons. Various studies of snow cover in the world have a history of more than a century [1-5]. Studies of snow cover at the MSU Meteoobservatory observation site have been conducted by the Faculty of Geography staff for several decades [6-7].