Functional Movement Screentm Scores in Collegiate Track and Field Athletes in Relation to Injury Risk and Performance

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Functional Movement Screentm (FMS) scores, injury rate, and performance in collegiate track and field athletes. Methods: Forty seven male (n=17) and female (n=30) competitive track and field athletes at an NCAA Division I university volunteered for this study. As part of their regular team assessment, the athletes were evaluated on three separate occasions using the FMS tool: in August, one week prior to the start of university organized practice for the fall (T1); in December, one week prior to the end of the fall academic semester (T2); and in March, the week following the conclusion of the indoor competition season (T3). The FMS consists of the performance of seven fundamental movement patterns that are evaluated and scored by a trained professional. For each time point, athletes were divided into two categories based on total FMS score (≤14 and ≥15). Throughout the competitive season, injuries were tracked and categorized as either mild (no loss of practice or competition time) or moderate/severe (loss of practice or competition time). As part of an ongoing injury prevention program, athletes performed generalized corrective exercises for 15 min 2-3 times per week. The performance in the last event of the season (conference meet) was also recorded. Results: Average FMS scores significantly (p\u3c0.05) decreased across the three time points (Mean ± SD, T1: 15.5 ± 2.2, T2: 14.9 ± 1.8, T3: 14.7 ± 1.6) despite that generalized corrective exercises were performed. Analyses of results found no association between FMS scores and likelihood to sustain a moderate/severe injury. Athletes with a score of ≤14 on the FMS at T1 were 3.1 times more likely not to place in the top 8 at the conference meet. 53% of the athletes who had a score of ≥15 at T1 placed in the top 8 at the meet while only 27% of athletes with a score of ≤14 at T1 placed in the top 8 at the meet. Conclusion: FMS scores ≤14 indicate reduced performance ability but not increased likelihood of injury in track and field athletes

Leukocyte Subset Changes in Response to a 164-km Road Cycle Ride in a Hot Environment

International Journal of Exercise Science 9(1): 34-46, 2016. The purpose of this observational study was to determine the circulating leukocyte subset response to completing the 2013 Hotter’N Hell Hundred recreational 164-km road cycle event in a hot and humid environmental condition. Twenty-eight men and four women were included in this study. Whole blood samples were obtained 1-2 hours before (PRE) and immediately after (POST) the event. Electronic sizing/sorting and cytometry were used to determine complete blood counts (CBC) including neutrophil, monocyte, and lymphocyte subsets. The concentration of circulating total leukocytes (103·µL-1) increased 134% from PRE to POST with the greatest increase in neutrophils (319%, p\u3c0.0001). Circulating monocytes (including macrophages) increased 24% (p=0.004) and circulating lymphocytes including B and T cells increased 53% (p\u3c0.0001). No association was observed between rolling time or relative intensity and leukocyte subset. Completing the Hotter n’ Hell Hundred (HHH), a 100 mile recreational cycling race in extreme (hot and humid) environmental conditions, induces a substantial increase in total leukocytes in circulation. The contribution of increases in specific immune cell subsets is not equal, with neutrophils increasing to greater than 4-fold starting values from PRE to POST race. It is likely that exercise in stressful environmental conditions affects the complement of circulating immune cells, although activational state and characterization of specific leukocyte subsets remains unclear. The observed increase in circulating cell sub-populations suggests that the circulating immune surveillance system may be acutely affected by exercise in hot and humid conditions

Effect Of Combined Aerobic And Resistance Training On HPA Axis Reactivity In HIV+ Women Undergoing Treatment For Substance Abuse

Substance abuse and infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are chronic stressors that affect hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of combined aerobic and resistance training on HPA axis reactivity in women with HIV undergoing treatment for substance abuse. Sixteen women (mean ± SD; 41 ± 9 years, 164 ± 6 cm, 78.1 ± 17.1 kg, 36 ± 10 % body fat) infected with HIV and enrolled in an intensive 60-day in-patient substance addiction/abuse treatment program were recruited shortly after admission to the treatment facility. Participants were assigned to one of two groups using randomization: (1) supervised combined aerobic and resistance exercise sessions 3 times per week (EX) for six weeks or (2) no exercise training (Control) for six weeks. Before (PRE) and after (POST) the 6-week period participants completed a 10-min public speaking task (Trier Social Stress Test). Saliva samples were obtained before (baseline), immediately after, and every 10 min for 50 min after the task. Saliva samples were analyzed for cortisol. HPA axis reactivity was determined as the difference between the highest values after the test minus the baseline value. HPA axis reactivity did not differ between groups at PRE (EX: 1.9 ± 2.0 nmol•L-1; Control: 1.1 ± 2.7 nmol•L-1) or POST (EX: 1.7 ± 2.1 nmol•L-1; Control: 0.0 ± 1.3 nmol•L-1). Similarly no differences were found between PRE and POST although the reactivity for the Control group appeared to be reduced at POST. HIV+ women in early recovery from substance abuse appear to display blunted HPA axis reactivity. A combined aerobic and resistance training intervention did not affect this reactivity; although, the exercise intervention might have prevented a further decline in reactivity

Influence of Race on the Female Athlete Triad

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Prompt γ-ray spectra from the radiative capture of 14.1 MeV neutrons in Cu, Se, Br, In, and I

Spectra of primary y-transitions to bound states from the 14,1 MeV neutron radiative capture process in natural targets of Cu, Se, Br, In and I are presented together with the corresponding integrated cross sections. Because of the spherical geometry of the experiment, spectra are integrated over a solid angle of 4π for Cu, Se, Br, and I and over 2π for In. The energy spread of the initial neutrons is 1.35 MeV

Modern pollen rain–vegetation relationships along a forest–steppe transect in the Golestan National Park, NE Iran

Pollen rain-vegetation relationships were studied over a forest-steppe transect in Golestan National Park, NE Iran. The surface pollen percentages were compared to the vegetation composition of the respective vegetation types in 18 sampling points using both descriptive and numerical approaches. Hyrcanian lowland forests are characterized by pollen assemblages dominated by Quercus, Carpinus betulus and low frequencies of Zelkova carpinifolia. Both Parrotia persica and Zelkova carpinifolia show a very low pollen representation in modern surface samples, an under-representation that should be taken into account in the interpretation of past vegetation records. Transitional communities between the forest and steppe including Acer monspessulanum subsp. turcomanicum, Crataegus and Paliurus scrubs, Juniperus excelsa woodlands and shrub-steppe patches are more difficult to distinguish in pollen assemblages, however, they are characterized by higher values of the dominant shrub species. The transitional vegetation communities at the immediate vicinity of the forest show also a substantial amount of grass pollen. Many insect-pollinated taxa are strongly under-represented in the pollen rain including most of the rosaceous trees and shrubs, Rhamnus, Paliurus, Acer and Berberis. Artemisia steppes are characterized by very high values of Artemisia pollen and the near absence of tree pollen

Multidimensional Machine Learning Balancing in Smart Battery Packs

Lithium-ion batteries have high energy density, lightweight and long life cycle, thus they are the choice for powering electric vehicles. The needed high voltage battery pack is achieved using series-connected cells, that ideally should be identical. However, parameter variations of cells in EVs, along with different working conditions can cause State of Charge (SoC) and temperature imbalances that shorten battery lifetime. Moreover, a series connection can potentially be exposed to single-cell failure. This paper proposes a redundant smart battery topology based on the series connection of individual cell modules. Each module is formed by a cell with an insertion/bypass circuit and a wireless processor that monitors cell states and communicates with a Master controller. To synthesize the nominal voltage, a battery pack with a small redundant number of cells is considered. In this way, it can be made both fault-tolerant and reach higher safety. The problem is then shifted to the control algorithm that at each sampling time has to select "n" cells out of the total cells, according to some goals. A Machine Learning-based control algorithm was developed and tested in Matlab to insert/bypass the cells and reach simultaneous balancing of both SoC and temperature. The new method based on the K-nearest algorithm has been compared in simulation with a conventional sorting balancing method and showed superior performance, especially in temperature balancing

The Acute Hormonal Response to the Kettlebell Swing Exercise

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the acute hormonal response to a bout of kettlebell swing exercise. Ten healthy men (19-30 y, 23.6 ± 3.5 y, 174.6 ± 5.7 cm, 78.7 ± 9.9 kg) who were engaged in resistance training at least twice per week but were inexperienced with kettlebell swings participated in this study. Participants were familiarized with the kettlebell swing exercise during an initial visit. During the subsequent experimental protocol visit, participants performed 12 rounds of 30 seconds of 16-kg kettlebell swings alternated with 30 seconds of rest. Heart rate (HR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured at the end of every round of swings. Fasted blood samples were collected pre-exercise (PRE), immediately post (IP), 15 minutes post (P15), and 30 minutes post exercise (P30) and analyzed for total testosterone (T), growth hormone (GH), cortisol, and lactate concentrations. Participants completed a total of 227 ± 23 swings (average swings per round: 19 ± 2). HR and RPE increased significantly (P < 0.05) throughout the exercise protocol. Lactate concentrations were significantly increased at all post exercise time points compared to PRE. T was significantly increased at IP compared to PRE. GH was significantly increased at IP, P15, and P30 compared to PRE. Cortisol was significantly increased at IP and P15 compared to PRE. 12 rounds of 30 seconds of kettlebell swing exercise induced an acute increase in T, GH, and cortisol concentrations in resistance trained men. Additionally, this exercise protocol induced a large increase in HR and lactate concentration. Thus, the kettlebell swing exercise might provide an effective method for simultaneous endurance and resistance training