Bysmatrum granulosum sp. nov., a new benthic dinoflagellate from the southwestern Indian Ocean

A new benthic marine dino¯agellate, Bysmatrum granulosum Ten-Hage, Turquet, Quod & Couté, sp. nov., was obtained from sediment and coral samples from sites of La Réunion Island (SW Indian Ocean). This new species is described and illustrated by light and scanning electron micrographs. Cells are 40-50 µm long and 40-46 µm wide. The epitheca is conical and smaller than the hypotheca, which is trapezoidal with convex sides. Plate tabulation is typical for the genus (Pₒ, X, 4', 3a, 7'', 6c, 5s, 5''', 2''''); epithecal plates 3’ and 4’’ separate the intercalary plates 2a and 3a. Thecal plates are perforated by pores and covered by both small and minute wart-like projections, linearly arranged, radiating from the apical pore. This new species differs from the three others of the genus Bysmatrum in the following characters: cell shape and size, size of the apical pore complex and features of thecal plates (plate shapes and ornamentations

Performing successfully in the heat at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens: Which active cooling strategies represent best practice for endurance athletes

Previous research using athletes has documented that precooling can improve endurance performance, especially in warm conditions. However, research comparing performance following different cooling techniques which are incorporated into a prerace routine is rare. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two precooling techniques on cycling time trial performance in warm conditions. Methods: Six endurance trained, regionally competitive cyclists completed one maximal graded exercise test (V02peak 71.4 ±3.2 ml’kg-1min-1) and four ~40 min laboratory cycling time trials in a heat chamber (34.3 ± 1.1°C; 41.2 ± 3.0% relative humidity (rh)) using a fixed power-variable power format. After familiarisation, cyclists prepared for the time trial using two different precooling strategies and a control condition administered in a counterbalanced order. The three trials included: 1) no cooling (Control), 2) cooling jacket for 40 min (Jacket) or 3) 30 min water immersion (29°C to 24°C at a rate of 0.2°C\u27min-1 ) followed by cooling jacket for 40 min (Combination). Comparisons were made using a two-way ANOV A with repeated measures and Student\u27s paired t-tests where appropriate. Results: Rectal temperature (Tre) prior to the time trial was 37.8 ± 0.1°C in Control, similar in Jacket (37.8 ± 0.3°C) and significantly lower in Combination (37.1 ±0.2 C, p \u3c 0.01). Blood lactate during each treatment was similar except for the final readings (Control = 15.8 ± 4.4 mM, Jacket = 19.8 ± 4.3 mM and Combination = 17.5 ± 4.0 mM, p \u3c 0.005). Heart rate was similar throughout the time trial for each treatment. Compared to the Control trial, performance time was similar for Jacket (-16 ± 36s, -1.5%; p = 0.34) but faster for Combination (-42 ± 25s, -3.8%; p = 0.01). The pacing strategy for Control and Combination were similar (gradually reducing split times) but unique for Jacket (started with a fast split time followed by a temporary increase in split times). Conclusions: A combination precooling strategy incorporating immersion in cool water followed by the use of a cooling jacket can: 1) produce decreases in Tre that persist throughout a warm up and 2) improve laboratory cycling time trial performance. The effects of a cooling jacket alone on Tre are subtle and do not appear to persist throughout a warm up. Further research is required to understand the influence of cooling jackets on pacing strategy during time trials performed in the heat

Pre-cooling for endurance exercise performance in the heat: a systematic review.

PMCID: PMC3568721The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/10/166. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Endurance exercise capacity diminishes under hot environmental conditions. Time to exhaustion can be increased by lowering body temperature prior to exercise (pre-cooling). This systematic literature review synthesizes the current findings of the effects of pre-cooling on endurance exercise performance, providing guidance for clinical practice and further research

Internal and external cooling methods and their effect on body temperature, thermal perception and dexterity

© 2018 The Authors. Published by PLOS. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191416© 2018 Maley et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Objective The present study aimed to compare a range of cooling methods possibly utilised by occupational workers, focusing on their effect on body temperature, perception and manual dexterity. Methods Ten male participants completed eight trials involving 30 min of seated rest followed by 30 min of cooling or control of no cooling (CON) (34C, 58% relative humidity). The cooling methods utilised were: ice cooling vest (CV0), phase change cooling vest melting at 14C (CV14), evaporative cooling vest (CVEV), arm immersion in 10C water (AI), portable water-perfused suit (WPS), heliox inhalation (HE) and ice slushy ingestion (SL). Immediately before and after cooling, participants were assessed for fine (Purdue pegboard task) and gross (grip and pinch strength) manual dexterity. Rectal and skin temperature, as well as thermal sensation and comfort, were monitored throughout. Results Compared with CON, SL was the only method to reduce rectal temperature (P = 0.012). All externally applied cooling methods reduced skin temperature (P0.05). Conclusion The present study observed that ice ingestion or ice applied to the skin produced the greatest effect on rectal and skin temperature, respectively. AI should not be utilised if workers require subsequent fine manual dexterity. These results will help inform future studies investigating appropriate pre-cooling methods for the occupational worker.This project is financially supported by the US Government through the Technical Support Working Group within the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office.Published versio

Physiological demands of road sprinting in professional and U23 cycling. A pilot study

This pilot study described and compared the power output (absolute, relative to body weight and relative to frontal area) recorded during successful road sprints in professional and under 23 men’s cycling races. The study also described the exercise intensity and requirements of sprinters throughout final 10 min of the race. Nine successful (top 3) sprints performed by a professional (PRO: 23 y old, 1.76 m, 71.8 kg) and an under 23 (U23: 18 y old, 1.67 m, 63.2 kg) cyclist sprinter were analysed in this study. No statistical differences were found in absolute peak and average sprint power (PRO: 1370±51 W and 1120±33 W; U23: 1318±60 W and 1112±68 W). The average power output relative to body weight and to projected frontal area (Ap) was lower in PRO than U23 (15.6±0.4 and 17.4±1.1 W•kg-1; and 2533±76 and 2740±169 W•Ap-1, respectively) (P=0.016). The intensity of the last 10 min prior to the sprint was significantly higher in PRO than U23 (4.6±0.3 and 3.7±0.2 W•kg-1, respectively) (P2500 W•Ap-1 or \u3e15.5 W•kg-1 for approximately 14 s, with a peak power output \u3e3100 W•Ap-1 or \u3e19 W•kg-1) indicates that sprint characteristics may be somewhat similar between PRO or U23 races. Further research is warranted in order to better understand physiological and tactical aspects important to road sprint cycling

Cooling athletes with a spinal cord injury

Cooling strategies that help prevent a reduction in exercise capacity whilst exercising in the heat have received considerable research interest over the past 3 decades, especially in the lead up to a relatively hot Olympic and Paralympic Games. Progressing into the next Olympic/Paralympic cycle, the host, Rio de Janeiro, could again present an environmental challenge for competing athletes. Despite the interest and vast array of research into cooling strategies for the able-bodied athlete, less is known regarding the application of these cooling strategies in the thermoregulatory impaired spinal cord injured (SCI) athletic population. Individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) have a reduced afferent input to the thermoregulatory centre and a loss of both sweating capacity and vasomotor control below the level of the spinal cord lesion. The magnitude of this thermoregulatory impairment is proportional to the level of the lesion. For instance, individuals with high-level lesions (tetraplegia) are at a greater risk of heat illness than individuals with lower-level lesions (paraplegia) at a given exercise intensity. Therefore, cooling strategies may be highly beneficial in this population group, even in moderate ambient conditions (~21 °C). This review was undertaken to examine the scientific literature that addresses the application of cooling strategies in individuals with an SCI. Each method is discussed in regards to the practical issues associated with the method and the potential underlying mechanism. For instance, site-specific cooling would be more suitable for an athlete with an SCI than whole body water immersion, due to the practical difficulties of administering this method in this population group. From the studies reviewed, wearing an ice vest during intermittent sprint exercise has been shown to decrease thermal strain and improve performance. These garments have also been shown to be effective during exercise in the able-bodied. Drawing on additional findings from the able-bodied literature, the combination of methods used prior to and during exercise and/or during rest periods/half-time may increase the effectiveness of a strategy. However, due to the paucity of research involving athletes with an SCI, it is difficult to establish an optimal cooling strategy. Future studies are needed to ensure that research outcomes can be translated into meaningful performance enhancements by investigating cooling strategies under the constraints of actual competition. Cooling strategies that meet the demands of intermittent wheelchair sports need to be identified, with particular attention to the logistics of the sport

Le schéma local de gestion cynégétique : un outil de gestion et de concertation des chasseurs de Concors-Sainte-Victoire.

Face à la fermeture des milieux, à un manque de connaissance des espèces, ou encore à la pression humaine de plus en plus forte sur les espaces naturels, le monde de la chasse a pris conscience de la nécessaire concertation des différents acteurs à l'échelle d'un massif. Cela s'est concrétisé, sur Sainte-Victoire, par la mise en place d'un Schéma local de gestion cynégétique. Concertation, diagnostic, approche multiusage, sont les points forts de cette expérience originale et réussie

Effect of Maturation on Hemodynamic and Autonomic Control Recovery Following Maximal Running Exercise in Highly Trained Young Soccer Players

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of maturation on post-exercise hemodynamic and autonomic responses. Fifty-five highly trained young male soccer players (12–18 years) classified as pre-, circum-, or post-peak height velocity (PHV) performed a graded running test to exhaustion on a treadmill. Before (Pre) and after (5th–10th min, Post) exercise, heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), arterial pressure (AP), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were monitored. Parasympathetic (high frequency [HFRR] of HR variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity [Ln BRS]) and sympathetic activity (low frequency [LFSAP] of systolic AP variability) were estimated. Post-exercise blood lactate [La]b, the HR recovery (HRR) time constant, and parasympathetic reactivation (time-varying HRV analysis) were assessed. In all three groups, exercise resulted in increased HR, CO, AP, and LFSAP (P < 0.001), decreased SV, HFRR, and Ln BRS (all P < 0.001), and no change in TPR (P = 0.98). There was no “maturation × time” interaction for any of the hemodynamic or autonomic variables (all P > 0.22). After exercise, pre-PHV players displayed lower SV, CO, and [La]b, faster HRR and greater parasympathetic reactivation compared with circum- and post-PHV players. Multiple regression analysis showed that lean muscle mass, [La]b, and Pre parasympathetic activity were the strongest predictors of HRR (r2 = 0.62, P < 0.001). While pre-PHV players displayed a faster HRR and greater post-exercise parasympathetic reactivation, maturation had little influence on the hemodynamic and autonomic responses following maximal running exercise. HRR relates to lean muscle mass, blood acidosis, and intrinsic parasympathetic function, with less evident impact of post-exercise autonomic function

Monitoring and health state 2007 of coral reefs of Mayotte Island

The principal characteristics of Mayotte Island are the length of the reef-barriers delimiting one of the widest lagoon of the area, a double reef-barrier (uncommon geological structure) as well as a general dynamics being equivalent to that of a series of eight reef-lagoon complex being able to function independently. Specificities of the environmental parameters combined with the particular characteristics generate a singular dynamics of the ecosystem and addicted communities. The objective of the Observatory of the Coral Reefs of Mayotte is to ensure, on the long term, the acquisition of reference data on the coral ecosystems of the island in order to evaluate the spatio-temporal evolution of the benthic and ichtyologic communities, this associated with more specific objectives (will ciguatera, whitening, SIG, coordination and management). To succeed in doing that, regular surveys are carried out (station of reference ORC, fringing reef, Reef Check), associated with specific studies and initial states. More than 9 years after the phenomenon of massive whitening, the results of the ORC show a continuous and encouraging evolution of the coral growth. However, the dynamics of substrate recolonization by new individuals varies according to the three types of reefs presentLes principales caractéristiques de Mayotte sont la longueur des récifs barrière délimitant un des plus larges lagon de la région, une double barrière récifale (structure géomorphologique rare) ainsi qu'une dynamique générale équivalant à celle d'une série de huit complexes récifo-lagonaires pouvant fonctionner indépendamment. Les spécificités des paramètres environnementaux combinées aux caractéristiques propres engendrent une dynamique singulière des milieux et des peuplements inféodés. L'objectif de l'Observatoire des Récifs Coralliens (ORC) de Mayotte est d'assurer, sur le long terme, l'acquisition de données de référence sur les écosystèmes coralliens afin d'évaluer l'évolution spatio-temporelle des peuplements benthiques et ichtyologiques, ceci associé à des objectifs plus spécifiques (ciguatéra, blanchissement, SIG, coordination et gestion). Pour y parvenir des suivis réguliers sont effectués (station de référence ORC, récif frangeant, ReefCheck), associés à des études ponctuelles et des états initiaux. Plus de 9 ans après le phénomène de blanchissement massif, les résultats de l'ORC montrent une évolution continue et encourageante de la croissance corallienne. Cependant la dynamique de recolonisation du substrat par de nouveaux individus varie suivant les trois types de récifs présents

Involving recreational snorkelers in inventory improvement or creation: a case study in the Indian Ocean.

Four amateur naturalists and underwater photographers established sixty first records and discovered three species probably new to science at Reunion Island (Indian Ocean) between January 2010 and January 2016, although the marine environment of this island has been studied for some forty years by professional scientists. These results were achieved after snorkeling in coastal areas at a maximum depth of 2 m. All records were validated by professional experts of the relevant groups, with appropriate reservations for photograph-based identifications. The analysis of the methodology used by this group of reef observers highlights three central elements: individual initiative, regular random-path snorkeling practice by local observers, and availability of correspondent observers with sufficient naturalist skills to select accurate data and manage an optimal link with professional scientists. Such achievement emphasizes the efficiency of a citizen- based approach aimed at creating or improving local fauna inventories and discovering new species. Considering that ecological data can be collected during observers' random-path snorkeling sessions, such a project is also of interest for local conservationists and marine ecosystems managers. We therefore recommend the inclusion of these practices in the process of designing standardised observation programs aimed at non-professionals everywhere snorkeling can be practiced, especially in under-studied regions.N