The Hydration Status of Female Collegiate Soccer Players Over Consecutive Training and Match Days

Purpose: Hydration has been shown to play a pivotal role in sport. Soccer is a team sport in which the integrity of all players is vital for team performance; thus, individual player hydration status is important. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the hydration status of female collegiate soccer players during regular season. Methods: Sixteen collegiate female soccer players (age: 20.4 ± 0.8 years; height: 163.6 ± 6.9 cm; weight: 65.3 ± 12 kg) provided urine over 9 days to monitor their hydration status. Hydration was determined by urine specific gravity (Usg). Usg was analyzed in the morning (AM) and in the afternoon before practice/game (PM). Results: All 16 players were at least minimally hypohydrated (Usg \u3e 1.010) in the AM on 5 of the 9 days tested. Players had significantly higher Usg values in the AM as compared to PM (F(1,250) = 23.09; p \u3c 0.0001); however, there was no significant time*day interaction (F(1,250) = 1.98; p = 0.16). Conclusion: Data show a high prevalence of hypohydration occurring in this specific population. This sub-optimal hydration status could be a cause for concern in terms of overall performance. Efforts should be made to integrate hydration interventions and daily monitoring to minimize hypohydration in players

The Hydration Status of Female Collegiate Soccer Players Over Consecutive Training and Match Days

Purpose: Hydration has been shown to play a pivotal role in sport. Soccer is a team sport in which the integrity of all players is vital for team performance; thus, individual player hydration status is important. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the hydration status of female collegiate soccer players during regular season. Methods: Sixteen collegiate female soccer players (age: 20.4 ± 0.8 years; height: 163.6 ± 6.9 cm; weight: 65.3 ± 12 kg) provided urine over 9 days to monitor their hydration status. Hydration was determined by urine specific gravity (Usg). Usg was analyzed in the morning (AM) and in the afternoon before practice/game (PM). Results: All 16 players were at least minimally hypohydrated (Usg \u3e 1.010) in the AM on 5 of the 9 days tested. Players had significantly higher Usg values in the AM as compared to PM (F(1,250) = 23.09; p \u3c 0.0001); however, there was no significant time*day interaction (F(1,250) = 1.98; p = 0.16). Conclusion: Data show a high prevalence of hypohydration occurring in this specific population. This sub-optimal hydration status could be a cause for concern in terms of overall performance. Efforts should be made to integrate hydration interventions and daily monitoring to minimize hypohydration in players

Infection and Transmission of Rift Valley Fever Viruses Lacking the NSs and/or NSm Genes in Mosquitoes: Potential Role for NSm in Mosquito Infection

Rift Valley fever virus is transmitted mainly by mosquitoes and causes disease in humans and animals throughout Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The impact of disease is large in terms of human illness and mortality, and economic impact on the livestock industry. For these reasons, and because there is a risk of this virus spreading to Europe and North America, it is important to develop a vaccine that is stable, safe and effective in preventing infection. Potential vaccine viruses have been developed through deletion of two genes (NSs and NSm) affecting virus virulence. Because this virus is normally transmitted by mosquitoes we must determine the effects of the deletions in these vaccine viruses on their ability to infect and be transmitted by mosquitoes. An optimal vaccine virus would not infect or be transmitted. The viruses were tested in two mosquito species: Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. Deletion of the NSm gene reduced infection of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes indicating a role for the NSm protein in mosquito infection. The virus with deletion of both NSs and NSm genes was the best vaccine candidate since it did not infect Ae. aegypti and showed reduced infection and transmission rates in Cx. quinquefasciatus

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

The Hydration Status of Female Collegiate Soccer Players Over Consecutive Training and Match Days

Purpose: Hydration has been shown to play a pivotal role in sport. Soccer is a team sport in which the integrity of all players is vital for team performance; thus, individual player hydration status is important. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the hydration status of female collegiate soccer players during regular season. Methods: Sixteen collegiate female soccer players (age: 20.4 ± 0.8 years; height: 163.6 ± 6.9 cm; weight: 65.3 ± 12 kg) provided urine over 9 days to monitor their hydration status. Hydration was determined by urine specific gravity (Usg).  Usg was analyzed in the morning (AM) and in the afternoon before practice/game (PM). Results: All 16 players were at least minimally hypohydrated (Usg > 1.010) in the AM on 5 of the 9 days tested. Players had significantly higher Usg values in the AM as compared to PM (F(1,250) = 23.09; p < 0.0001); however, there was no significant time*day interaction (F(1,250) = 1.98; p = 0.16). Conclusion: Data show a high prevalence of hypohydration occurring in this specific population. This sub-optimal hydration status could be a cause for concern in terms of overall performance. Efforts should be made to integrate hydration interventions and daily monitoring to minimize hypohydration in players.Objetivo: Foi demonstrado que a hidratação desempenha um papel fundamental no esporte. O futebol é um esporte coletivo no qual a integridade de todos os jogadores é vital para o desempenho da equipe; portanto, o estado de hidratação de cada jogador é importante. O objetivo principal deste estudo foi investigar o estado de hidratação de universitárias jogadoras de futebol do sexo feminino durante a temporada regular.Métodos: Dezesseis universitárias jogadoras de futebol (idade: 20,4 ± 0,8 anos; altura: 163,6 ± 6,9 cm; peso: 65,3 ± 12 kg) forneceram amostras de urina por 9 dias para monitorar seu estado de hidratação. A hidratação foi determinada pela gravidade específica da urina Usg. Sua Usg foi analisado pela manhã (matutino) e à tarde (vespertino) antes do treino ou jogo. Resultados: As 16 jogadoras estavam minimamente hipohidratadas (Usg > 1.010) no período matutino em 5 dos 9 dias medidos. As jogadoras apresentaram valores de Usg significativamente maiores no período matutino em comparação ao vespertino (F (1.250) = 23,09; p <0,0001); no entanto, não houve interação tempo * dia significativa (F (1.250) = 1,98; p = 0,16).Conclusão: os dados mostram uma alta prevalência de hipohidratação nesta população específica. Este estado de hidratação abaixo do ideal pode ser uma preocupação em termos de desempenho geral. Devem ser feitos esforços para integrar intervenções de hidratação e monitoramento diário para minimizar a hipohidratação em jogadoras.Propósito: Se ha demostrado que la hidratación juega un papel fundamental en el deporte. El fútbol es un deporte de equipo en el que la integridad de todos los jugadores es vital para su rendimiento; por lo tanto, el estado de hidratación de cada jugador es importante. El objetivo principal de este estudio fue investigar el estado de hidratación de las jugadoras universitarias de fútbol durante la temporada regular. Métodos: Dieciséis jugadoras universitarias de fútbol (edad: 20.4 ± 0.8 años; estatura: 163.6 ± 6.9 cm; peso: 65.3 ± 12 kg) proporcionaron muestras de orina durante 9 días para controlar su estado de hidratación, la cual se determinó por la gravedad específica de la orina (Usg). La Usg se analizó en la mañana (AM) y en la tarde antes del entrenamiento o el juego (PM). Resultados: Las 16 jugadoras estaban al menos mínimamente hipohidratadas (Usg > 1.010) en la AM en 5 de los 9 días medidos. Las jugadoras tuvieron valores Usg significativamente más altos en AM en comparación con PM (F (1,250) = 23.09; p < 0.0001); sin embargo, no hubo interacción significativa de tiempo * día (F(1,250) = 1.98; p = 0.16). Conclusión: los datos muestran una alta prevalencia de hipohidratación en esta población específica. Este estado de hidratación subóptimo podría ser motivo de preocupación en términos de rendimiento general. Se deberían hacer esfuerzos para integrar las intervenciones de hidratación y el monitoreo diario para reducir al mínimo la hipohidratación en las jugadoras

THE EFFECT OF ASTAXANTHIN ON THE PREVENTION OF COGNITIVE DECREMENTS FOLLOWING A MENTAL FATIGUE PROTOCOL

BACKGROUND: Astaxanthin (AX) is a carotenoid found in marine species and is a popular dietary supplement due to its unique ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. It appears that AX may preserve aspects of cognition during periods of cerebral stress (such as cognitive fatigue or in the development of neurodegeneration), provided AX’s ability to support and maintain mitochondria function, specifically within the brain. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the effect AX has on markers of cognitive performance following a mental fatiguing protocol in recreationally active females. METHODS: Participants will include 30 recreationally active females (18-39 years) and will utilize a double-blinded, between-design, with participants reporting to the laboratory on four separate occasions. All trials will consist of a battery of baseline and post-mental fatigue cognitive assessments (psychomotor vigilance test (PVT), task switching, incongruent flanker). Additionally, either a battery of mentally fatiguing tasks (color multi-source interference task (CMSIT), Rapid visual information processing task (RVIP), time load dual back task (TLDB)), or a time-matched control will be utilized in between pre and post-testing. Following trial 2, participants will be randomly assigned to ingest either AX (12 mg/day-1) or a matched placebo for 6-weeks prior to reporting back to the laboratory for repeat post-testing. ANTICIPATED RESULTS: It is hypothesized AX will mitigate decrements to cognitive performance following mental fatigue in recreationally active females. Funding: This study is funded by AstaReal USA

THE EFFECT OF ASTAXANTHIN SUPPLEMENTATION ON SUBJECTIVE MARKERS OF MUSCLE SORENESS IN WOMEN.

BACKGROUND: Strenuous exercise involving eccentric muscle actions induces skeletal muscle damage, resulting in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Antioxidant supplementation, such as astaxanthin (AX), may alleviate muscle injury following intense exercise. While previous research in males demonstrated that AX ingestion can reduce subjective measures of DOMS and possibly enhance aspects of endurance performance, to date, no studies have yet been conducted in a female only cohort. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of AX supplementation at 12 mg/day-1 for 6-weeks on markers of physical performance and subjective markers of DOMS in females. METHODS: Participants will include 30, recreationally-active and healthy females (18-39 years), and the protocol will use a double-blinded, between-design (AX vs. placebo). Participants will complete four trials, with trials 1 and 3 designed to induce muscle damage (EIMD), consisting of a one-repetition maximum test (1RM) for leg-press, followed by five sets of ten repetitions at 65% of 1RM. Trials 2 and 4 will test exercise performance and will be conducted 48 h post-EIMD. Trials 2 and 4 will consist of sets at 65%, 70%, and 75% of 1RM to failure, with total repetitions completed included as our markers of physical performance. Subjective markers of DOMS will be collected using a visual analog scale and an algometer to test muscle tenderness 24, 36, & 48 h post EIMD. ANTICIPATED RESULTS: It is hypothesized that AX will reduce the subjective feelings of DOMS while possibly enhancing total repetitions completed due to a reduction in DOMS during trials 2 and 4. FUNDING: This study is funded by AstaReal USA

The impact of inter-observer variability on the accuracy, precision and utility of a commonly-used grassland condition index

Inter-observer variability in ecological surveying can reduce the robustness and reliability of measures used to inform habitat management. Grassland management is important across southern Africa. The Veld Condition Index (VCI) is a technique that combines field data on the relative abundance of grasses identified during a standardised survey with knowledge of how different grass species respond to grazing. This allows calculation of an Ecological Condition Index (ECI) for a particular site. The ECI value is related to threshold values to indicate grazing pressure. Here, for the first time, the effects of inter-observer variation in trained surveyors on condition assessment and resultant management recommendations are examined. There was substantial and statistically significant inter-observer variation in ECI values, driven primarily by differences in the number of times an observer identified grasses within the sample transect as being one of the species listed in the “Decreaser” category of the standardised protocol (i.e. species that decrease with grazing). Variation was random with respect to observers rather than being due to systematic (and thus predicable and potentially correctable) differences between observers. In 44% of sites, inter-observer variation resulted in important differences in assessment of grassland condition because the assessment spanned outcome threshold categories. In such cases, this could result in unnecessary or detrimental management being recommended by some observers including inappropriate burning, needlessly translocating or culling herbivores, or failing to align herbivore populations to the carrying capacity with negative effects on both grazers and veld. We recommend that a cautious approach be taken in using VCI/ECI to inform management and that identification training be focused on species in the Decreaser ecological category that drive inter-individual variation in overall ECI