Are the 50 m race segments changed from heats to finals at the 2021 European swimming championships?

This study explored in the 50m races of the four swimming strokes the performance parameters and/or technical variables that determined the differences between swimmers who reach the finals and those who do not. A total of 322 performances retrieved from the 2021 Budapest European championships were the focus of this study. The results of the performances achieved during the finals compared to the heats showed that the best swimmers did not excel during the heats, as a significant progression of performance was observed in most of the strokes as the competition progressed. Specifically, combining men and women, the swimmers had in freestyle a mean coefficient of variation (CV) of ~0.6%, with a mean range of performance improvement (Δ%) of Δ = ~0.7%; in breaststroke a mean CV of ~0.5% and Δ = −0.2%; in backstroke a mean CV of ~0.5% and Δ = −0.6%, and; in butterfly a mean CV of ~0.7% and Δ = −0.9%. For all strokes, it was a reduction of the underwater phase with the aim of increasing its speed. However, this result was not always transferred to the final performance. In any case, most of the swimmers tried to make improvements from the start of the race up to 15 m. Furthermore, the swimmers generated an overall increase in stroke rate as the rounds progressed. However, a decrease in stroke length resulted and, this balance appeared to be of little benefit to performance.This study was supported by a grant awarded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Spanish Agency of Research) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); PGC2018- 102116-B-I00 “SWIM II: Specific Water Innovative Measurements: Applied to the performance improvement” and the SpanishMinistry of Education, Culture and Sport: FPU 19/02477, FPU 16/02629, and FPU17/02761 grants.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Determinants of 1500-m Front-Crawl Swimming Performance in Triathletes: Influence of Physiological and Biomechanical Variables

Purpose: To analyze the associations between physiological and biomechanical variables with the FINA (International Swimming Federation) points (ie, swimming performance) obtained in 1500-m front-crawl swimming to determine whether these variables can be used to explain triathletes’ FINA points. Methods: Fourteen world-class, international and national triathletes (10 male: 23.24 [3.70] y and 4 female: 23.36 [3.76] y) performed a 1500-m front-crawl swimming test in a short-course pool. Heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake ( ˙VO2 ), and blood lactate concentrations were obtained before and after the test. HR was also measured during the effort. Highest ˙VO2 value ( ˙VO2peak ) was estimated by extrapolation. Clean swimming speed, turn performance, stroke rate, stroke length, and stroke index (SI) were obtained by video analysis. Results: Average 1500-m performance times were 1088 (45) seconds and 1144 (31) seconds for males and females, respectively. HR after the effort, ˙VO2peak , aerobic contributions, total energy expenditure, energy cost, and turn performance presented moderate negative associations with swimming performance (r ≈ .5). In contrast, respiratory exchange ratio, anaerobic alactic contribution, clean swimming speed, stroke length, and SI were positively related, with clean swimming speed and SI having a strong large association (r ≈ .7). A multiple stepwise regression model determined that 71% of the variance in FINA points was explained by SI and total energy expenditure, being predictors in 1500-m front-crawl swimming. Conclusions: Swimming performance in triathletes was determined by the athletes’ energy demands and biomechanical variables. Thus, coaches should develop specific technique skills to improve triathletes’ swimming efficiency

Open Water Swimming in Elite Triathletes: Physiological and Biomechanical Determinants

This study aimed (i) to analyze the 1500 m open water swimming performance, (ii) to examine the associations between physiological and biomechanical variables with swimming performance, and (iii) to determine which variables can predict swimming performance in triathletes. Fourteen elite triathletes (23.4±3.8 y) performed a 1500 m test in open water swimming conditions. Swimming performance was assessed using World Aquatics Points Scoring, and data were obtained from the 1500 m open water swimming test. Heart rate, end-exercise oxygen uptake (EE˙VO2) and blood lactate concentrations were measured. The initial 250 m of the 1500 m swimming test presented the highest values of biomechanical variables in males (i. e. swimming speed, stroke rate (SR), length (SL), index (SI)). A decrease in SL was observed in the last 250 m in both sexes. Positive association were found between EE˙VO2 (r=0.513; p=0.030), swimming speed (r=0.873; p<0.001) and SI (r=0.704; p=0.002) with swimming performance. In contrast, time constant of the oxygen uptake (r=−0.500; p=0.034) and buoy-turn times (r=−0.525; p=0.027) were negatively associated with performance. SI was the main predictor (R 2=0.495) of open water swimming performance in triathletes. In conclusion, triathletes and coaches must conduct open water training sessions to maximize SI (i. e. swimming efficiency).MCIN/AEl/10.13039/501100011033 and “ERDF A way of making Europe”, by the “European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR” — PID2022–142147NB-I00: SWIM III Ministry of Universities — FPU19/02477

The Impact of Wetsuit Use on Swimming Performance, Physiology and Biomechanics: A Systematic Review

This systematic review aims to summarize the effects of wearing different types of wetsuits and swimsuits in front crawl swimming performance and physiological- and biomechanical-related variables. The Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and the Proceedings of the International Symposium on Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming databases were searched from inception to 25th March 2022. From the 1398 studies initially found, 26 studies were included in the review. The quality assessment and inter-rater reliability between researchers were conducted. The full body was the most studied wetsuit, with its use allowing 3.2&ndash;12.9% velocity increments in distances ranging from 25 to 1500 m, in incremental tests, in 5 and 30 min continuous swimming and in open water events. The sleeveless long vs. the full-body wetsuit led to a 400&ndash;800 m performance enhancement. Higher stroke rate, stroke length and stroke index were observed while using three different covered body part wetsuits vs. a regular swimsuit, with a lower energy cost being observed when swimming with the full-body wetsuit compared to a swimsuit. These findings provide useful information for coaches, swimmers and triathletes about the full-body and sleeveless long/short wetsuit use, since these three wetsuits allow improving swimming performance in different distances in diverse aquatic environments

Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID19) pandemic on the morbidity and mortality of high risk patients undergoing surgery: a non-inferiority retrospective observational study

Background: During the COVID-19 crisis it was necessary to generate a specific care network and reconvert operating rooms to attend emergency and high-acuity patients undergoing complex surgery. The aim of this study is to classify postoperative complications and mortality and to assess the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic may have had on the results. Methods: this is a non-inferiority retrospective observational study. Two different groups of surgical patients were created: Pre-pandemic COVID and Pandemic COVID. Severity of illness was rated according to the Diagnosis-related Groups (DRG) score. Comparisons were made between groups and between DRG severity score-matched samples. Non-inferiority was set at up to 10 % difference for grade III to V complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification, and up to 2 % difference in mortality. Results: A total of 1649 patients in the PreCOVID group and 763 patients in the COVID group were analysed; 371 patients were matched for DRG severity score 3-4 (236 preCOVID and 135 COVID). No differences were found in relation to re-operation (22.5 % vs. 21.5 %) or late admission to critical care unit (5.1 % vs. 4.5 %). Clavien grade III to V complications occurred in 107 patients (45.3 %) in the PreCOVID group and in 56 patients (41.5 %) in the COVID group, and mortality was 12.7 % and 12.6 %, respectively. During the pandemic, 3 % of patients tested positive for Covid-19 on PCR: 12 patients undergoing elective surgery and 11 emergency surgery; there were 5 deaths, 3 of which were due to respiratory failure following Covid-19-induced pneumonia. Conclusions: Although this study has some limitations, it has shown the non-inferiority of surgical outcomes during the COVID pandemic, and indicates that resuming elective surgery is safe

The SPECTRA Barrax campaign (SPARC): Overview and first results from CHRIS data

In the framework of preparatory activities for the SPECTRA (Surface Processes and Ecosystems Changes Through Response Analysis) ESA Earth Explorer Core Mission, CHRIS/PROBA acquisitions over the Barrax Core Site in Spain were used to compile a reference dataset for future in-depth studies. Taking advantage of the possibility of consecutive days of acquisitions, multiple-angular acquisitions finally included 10 different view angles from CHRIS, in Mode 1 with 62 spectral, and a ground resolution of about 34 m. Additional ROSIS and HYMAP sensors, flying simultaneously with CHRIS overpass, provided detailed images for validation of CHRIS data, particularly in the spectral domain. Moreover, up to 3 angles per sample from airborne HYMAP data were acquired, with high spectral and spatial resolution, and then both spectral and angular domains can be exploited with the combined CHRIS/HYMAP/ROSIS dataset. Detailed soil/vegetation and atmospheric measurements complete the SPARC data, and data from other satellites (MERIS, SEVIRI, SPOT, Landsat) were collected as well, to address scaling issues. Methods for data analysis and exploitation have been developed in the context of SPARC activities, and preliminary results about retrievals of biophysical information from multi-angular hyperspectral data are already available. The whole SPARC dataset represents a reference for the exploitation of CHRIS data, allowing the development of new processing and retrieval algorithms, and the validation of such algorithms by means of ground measurements and complementary airborne and satellite data. More details on several processing aspects of the CHRIS/PROBA data acquired within the SPARC campaign are presented in other papers in this conference

Intraoperative transfusion practices in Europe

BACKGROUND: Transfusion of allogeneic blood influences outcome after surgery. Despite widespread availability of transfusion guidelines, transfusion practices might vary among physicians, departments, hospitals and countries. Our aim was to determine the amount of packed red blood cells (pRBC) and blood products transfused intraoperatively, and to describe factors determining transfusion throughout Europe. METHODS: We did a prospective observational cohort study enrolling 5803 patients in 126 European centres that received at least one pRBC unit intraoperatively, during a continuous three month period in 2013. RESULTS: The overall intraoperative transfusion rate was 1.8%; 59% of transfusions were at least partially initiated as a result of a physiological transfusion trigger- mostly because of hypotension (55.4%) and/or tachycardia (30.7%). Haemoglobin (Hb)- based transfusion trigger alone initiated only 8.5% of transfusions. The Hb concentration [mean (sd)] just before transfusion was 8.1 (1.7) g dl(-1) and increased to 9.8 (1.8) g dl(-1) after transfusion. The mean number of intraoperatively transfused pRBC units was 2.5 (2.7) units (median 2). CONCLUSION: Although European Society of Anaesthesiology transfusion guidelines are moderately implemented in Europe with respect to Hb threshold for transfusion (7-9 g dl(-1)), there is still an urgent need for further educational efforts that focus on the number of pRBC units to be transfused at this threshold. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT 01604083