Jumper's knee paradox—jumping ability is a risk factor for developing jumper's knee: A 5-year prospective study

Background The ‘jumper's knee paradox’, where symptomatic athletes appear to perform better in a counter movement jump (CMJ) compared to asymptomatic controls in previous case–control studies is not fully understood. Aim The aim was to examine the relationship between jumping ability and change of jumping ability as potential risk factors for developing jumper's knee. Methods A 5-year prospective cohort study among elite volleyball players, aged 16–18. Jump tests were done on a portable force plate at the time of inclusion and semiannually. Jumper's knee was diagnosed based on a standardised clinical examination. Results All 150 students (68 males and 82 females) were included and 28 developed jumper's knee (22 males and 6 females). At the time of inclusion, male athletes who went on to develop jumper's knee had significantly better results in CMJ (38.0±5.8 cm) compared to asymptomatic males (34.6±5.5 cm, p=0.03), while no difference was detected in standing jump (SJ: jumper's knee: 30.3±7.4 cm, asymptomatic: 28.1±6.1 cm, p=0.23). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis corrected for gender and previous volleyball training, the OR was 2.09 (1.03–4.25) per cm difference in CMJ at the time of inclusion. Our results did not reveal any significant differences in the change in jumping ability between the groups, although both groups improved their jump performance. Conclusions Volleyball players with a natural ability for jumping high are at an increased risk for developing jumper's knee

Genetic variation in candidate genes and patellar tendinopathy: Prospective cohort study of 126 elite volleyball players

Variation in genes coding for structural proteins may represent risk factors for developing tendinopathy among athletes. The purpose of this prospective cohort study of elite volleyball students was to investigate whether specific single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in selected candidate genes, known to be associated with Achilles tendinopathy, were associated with the risk for developing patellar tendinopathy (jumper′s knee). Of 126 Caucasian athletes (64 females and 62 males), 33 cases (athletes developing jumper′s knee) were compared to 93 healthy controls. Six SNVs, distributed in the candidate genes COL1A1, COL5A1, MMP3, and GDF3, were genotyped. Baseline characteristics, genotypes, and minor allele frequencies (MAF) were compared between groups. Neither genotype nor minor allele frequencies differed significantly between the jumper′s knee group and the healthy controls. However, the low‐frequency homozygous T/T genotype of the COL1A1 gene (rs1800012) was absent in the jumper′s knee group (P = .075). Separating the two study groups by gender suggested that there may be a female‐specific genotype pattern, although the sample was too small for statistical calculations. In this study, although limited by sample size, we could not detect any clear relationship between six selected SNVs located in candidate genes and the risk for the development of jumper′s knee in elite volleyball students

Teknologitrender som påvirker transportsektoren

SAMMENDRAG: Økt digitalisering, automatisering og elektrifisering Fremtidens transportsektor vil kjennetegnes av økt digitalisering, automatisering og elektrifisering. I denne rapporten redegjør vi for generelle teknologitrender og teknologitrender som er forventet å ha spesifikk betydning for transportsektoren frem mot 2060. Rapporten er delt i to deler. I rapportens første del diskuterer vi de generelle teknologitrendene. Deriblant er avanserte materialer, nanoteknologi, avanserte produksjonsmetoder, programvare, robotikk og automatisering, 3D-printing og autonomi noen av nøkkelteknologiene. I rapportens andre del fokuserer vi spesifikt på teknologitrender i transponsektoren innen kategoriene infrastruktur, transportmidler og -objekter, energitype, produksjon og arbeidskraft og tjenester. Vi konkluderer med at særlig automatisering, digitalisering og elektrifisering vil føre til omveltninger i transportsektoren. Dette drives av både politiske føringer og rammevilkår, men også av samfunn og næringsliv. Viktigheten av fokus på håndtering av og eierskap til data vil øke ytterligere. Oppdragsgiver: Jernbanedirektoratet, på vegne av transportetatene og AvinorpublishedVersio

Teknologitrender som påvirker transportsektoren

SAMMENDRAG: Økt digitalisering, automatisering og elektrifisering Fremtidens transportsektor vil kjennetegnes av økt digitalisering, automatisering og elektrifisering. I denne rapporten redegjør vi for generelle teknologitrender og teknologitrender som er forventet å ha spesifikk betydning for transportsektoren frem mot 2060. Rapporten er delt i to deler. I rapportens første del diskuterer vi de generelle teknologitrendene. Deriblant er avanserte materialer, nanoteknologi, avanserte produksjonsmetoder, programvare, robotikk og automatisering, 3D-printing og autonomi noen av nøkkelteknologiene. I rapportens andre del fokuserer vi spesifikt på teknologitrender i transponsektoren innen kategoriene infrastruktur, transportmidler og -objekter, energitype, produksjon og arbeidskraft og tjenester. Vi konkluderer med at særlig automatisering, digitalisering og elektrifisering vil føre til omveltninger i transportsektoren. Dette drives av både politiske føringer og rammevilkår, men også av samfunn og næringsliv. Viktigheten av fokus på håndtering av og eierskap til data vil øke ytterligere. Oppdragsgiver: Jernbanedirektoratet, på vegne av transportetatene og AvinorpublishedVersio

The Endurance Rocket Mission: Gauging Earth’s Ambipolar Electric Potential

NASA’s Endurance sounding rocket (yard No. 47.001) will launch from Ny Ålesund, Svalbard in May 2022 on a solid fueled Oriole III-A launch vehicle. Its ∼19 minute flight will carry it to an altitude of ∼780 km above Earth’s sunlit polar cap. Its objective is to make the first measurement of the weak “ambipolar” electric field generated by Earth’s ionosphere. This field is thought to play a critical role in the upwelling and escape of ionospheric ions, and thus potentially in the evolution of Earth’s atmosphere. The results will enable us to determine the importance to ion escape of this previously unmeasured fundamental property of our planet, which will aid in a better understanding of what makes Earth habitable. Endurance will carry six science instruments (with 16 sensors) that will measure the total electrical potential drop below the spacecraft, and the physical parameters required to understand the physics of what generates the ambipolar field. The mission will be supported by simultaneous observations of solar and geomagnetic activity