Sex-Specific Pre-Session PRS Difference between Bouts of Fatiguing Resistance Training

The perceived recovery status (PRS) scale, a valid psychophysiological tool, provides a scalar representation of varying levels of an individualized recovery status before or during various modes of exercise. Previous investigations recognize females as more fatigue resilient, quantified via the PRS scale, than males during repeated sprint performance. To the best of our knowledge, no investigations have examined the sex-specific PRS responses during multi-session resistance training. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare male and female PRS scores for multi-session fatiguing resistance training with incremental decline intersession recovery periods. METHODS: Subjects consisted of 14 trained males (n = 7) and females (n = 7) that participated in five resistance training sessions. Session 1 consisted of one repetition maximum (1RM) testing for barbell back squat (SQ) and barbell bench press (BP); additionally, during session 1, subjects were given standardized instructions explaining how to interpret the PRS scale (familiarization). PRS was collected prior to each training session. Seventy-two hours after session 1, participants completed a standardized dynamic warm up, followed by a comprehensive, fatiguing resistance training session that began with 3 sets of 55%, 65%, and 75% 1RM, followed by 1 set of as many repetitions as possible (AMRAP) at 85% 1RM for SQ. Ten minutes of recovery was provided upon completion of SQ, before completing the same 4 set routine for BP. Upon 5-minute rest, participants completed 4 set of 2 repetitions in reserve (RIR) for barbell reverse lunge, barbell shoulder press, and barbell bent-over row in circuit format with 90 seconds rest between circuits. In order, 72hrs, 48hrs, 24hrs, and 6hrs rest periods were assigned as intersession recovery. A 2 (sex) x 4 (session) mixed factorial ANOVA was used to determine the sex-specific responses to resistance training. RESULTS: No significant main effect was revealed between males and females PRS scores across sets. However, a statistically significant main effect of PRS scores was illustrated across sets [F (2.323, 27.875) =19.363, pCONCLUSION: These results suggest males and females globally recover similarly from fatigue induced resistance training. However, these data also suggest optimal intersession recovery duration may differ between the sexes – males reported significantly less recovered 48hr after training (between set 2 and 3), while female recovery decline after 48hr was an insignificant change; thus, aligning with previous reports of greater fatigue resilience appearing in females versus males

Profiling the physiological parameters of boxers in The Parachute Regiment. 'Every man an Emperor'

This study aimed to collect and identify the physiological parameters that are required to produce winning performances in an army boxing competition. Army boxing competitions are sanctioned and governed by ‘England Boxing’ and consist of three rounds of two minutes with one-minute restorative periods. The Parachute Regiment are an elite infantry fighting force within the British military, with a continued success in the inter-army boxing championships. 22 male participants were recruited (mean ± SD age 28 ± 2 years, stature 178 ± 8.1cm, body mass 79 ± 7.1 kg, BMI 24.9 ±2.5).Body fat %. V̇O₂max, lower limb power, and 1RM max strength test protocols for back squat and bench press were performed. Additionally, impact punch power measured from rear hand cross strikes, and punching velocities were measured using a linear positional transducer. Countermovement (CMJ) and repetitive (n=10) jump data were collected using a jump mat. The physiological parameters in mean scores; body composition showed body fat 11.8±8.1%: CMJ height 35.5±5cm: Repetitive jump 28.5±5.6cm: Wingate peak power (body mass to power ratio) 11.5±1.6W/kg: Wingate average power, 8.1±1.4W/kg: V̇O₂max 53±4.8 ml.kg⁻¹.min⁻¹: Back squat (body mass to weight lifted ratio) 1.95±0.2kg: Bench press 1.1±0.1kg/BW: Rear cross strike velocity 8.47±0.8m/s: Impact power 15227±2250W. Significant relationships were observed between anthropometric data and power, strike velocity and V̇O₂max in addition to relationships being evident between some strength and power variables. by the participants in this study. Although punch impact power is an essential performance indicator in boxing, other physiological factors, such as lower limb power and strength have been demonstrated to attribute to the continued winning performances by 3PARA boxing team

Projected climate adaptation benefits of One CGIAR

In the present analysis, we first create a projection of the number of beneficiaries (rural individuals and households) in climate hazard areas using geospatial datasets on climate hazards and rural population. We find that: (1) By 2030, CGIAR’s work on climate adaptation is projected to benefit 234 million rural people in 59 million rural households in regions facing significant climate hazards. (2) Some 66% of the projected individual beneficiaries are in SA (34%) and SEA (32%). India (26%) and China (24%) alone account for about 50% of beneficiaries globally. Approximately 15% are in SSA, equally divided between ESA and WCA; the remaining beneficiaries are in LAC (7%) and CWANA (11%). (3) Adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices, climate-adapted varieties, and climate-related advisory services will increase productivity by an average of 24 % and, in at least 62% of cases, will also reduce interannual yield variability. Despite these significant potential upside gains, changing farming practices also carries production risk. (4) Scaling up both improved varieties and improved agronomy could more than double economic benefits as compared to improved varities alone; this suggests that integrative programs that bundle several innovations have the potential to amplify impact

Perspective article: Actions to reconfigure food systems

There is broad agreement that current food systems are not on a sustainable trajectory that will enable us to reach the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, particularly in the face of anthropogenic climate change. Guided by a consideration of some food system reconfigurations in the past, we outline an agenda of work around four action areas: rerouting old systems into new trajectories; reducing risks; minimising the environmental footprint of food systems; and realigning the enablers of change needed to make new food systems function. Here we highlight food systems levers that, along with activities within these four action areas, may shift food systems towards more sustainable, inclusive, healthy and climate-resilient futures. These actions, summarised here, are presented in extended form in a report of an international initiative involving hundreds of stakeholders for reconfiguring food systems

Agriculture, food security and climate change: Outlook for knowledge, tools and action

Agriculture and food security are key sectors for intervention under climate change. Agricultural production is highly vulnerable even to 2C (lowend) predictions for global mean temperatures in 2100, with major implications for rural poverty and for both rural and urban food security. Agriculture also presents untapped opportunities for mitigation, given the large land area under crops and rangeland, and the additional mitigation potential of aquaculture. This paper presents a summary of current scientific knowledge on the impacts of climate change on farming and food systems, and on the implications for adaptation and mitigation. Many of the trends and impacts are highly uncertain at a range of spatial and temporal scales; we need significant advances in predicting how climate variability and change will affect future food security. Despite these uncertainties, it is clear that the magnitude and rate of projected changes will require adaptation. Actions towards adaptation fall into two broad overlapping areas: (1) better management of agricultural risks associated with increasing climate variability and extreme events, for example improved climate information services and safety nets, and (2) accelerated adaptation to progressive climate change over decadal time scales, for example integrated packages of technology, agronomy and policy options for farmers and food systems. Maximization of agriculture’s mitigation potential will require, among others, investments in technological innovation and agricultural intensification linked to increased efficiency of inputs, and creation of incentives and monitoring systems that are inclusive of smallholder farmers. The challenges posed by climate change to agriculture and food security require a holistic and strategic approach to linking knowledge with action. Key elements of this are greater interactions between decision-makers and researchers in all sectors, greater collaboration among climate, agriculture and food security communities, and consideration of interdependencies across whole food systems and landscapes. Food systems faced with climate change need urgent action in spite of uncertainties

Bio-energy retains its mitigation potential under elevated CO2

Background If biofuels are to be a viable substitute for fossil fuels, it is essential that they retain their potential to mitigate climate change under future atmospheric conditions. Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration [CO2] stimulates plant biomass production; however, the beneficial effects of increased production may be offset by higher energy costs in crop management. Methodology/Main findings We maintained full size poplar short rotation coppice (SRC) systems under both current ambient and future elevated [CO2] (550 ppm) and estimated their net energy and greenhouse gas balance. We show that a poplar SRC system is energy efficient and produces more energy than required for coppice management. Even more, elevated [CO2] will increase the net energy production and greenhouse gas balance of a SRC system with 18%. Managing the trees in shorter rotation cycles (i.e. 2 year cycles instead of 3 year cycles) will further enhance the benefits from elevated [CO2] on both the net energy and greenhouse gas balance. Conclusions/significance Adapting coppice management to the future atmospheric [CO2] is necessary to fully benefit from the climate mitigation potential of bio-energy systems. Further, a future increase in potential biomass production due to elevated [CO2] outweighs the increased production costs resulting in a northward extension of the area where SRC is greenhouse gas neutral. Currently, the main part of the European terrestrial carbon sink is found in forest biomass and attributed to harvesting less than the annual growth in wood. Because SRC is intensively managed, with a higher turnover in wood production than conventional forest, northward expansion of SRC is likely to erode the European terrestrial carbon sink

Serotonergic modulation of the ventral pallidum by 5HT1A, 5HT5A, 5HT7 AND 5HT2C receptors

Introduction: Serotonin's involvement in reward processing is controversial. The large number of serotonin receptor sub-types and their individual and unique contributions have been difficult to dissect out, yet understanding how specific serotonin receptor sub-types contribute to its effects on areas associated with reward processing is an essential step. Methods: The current study used multi-electrode arrays and acute slice preparations to examine the effects of serotonin on ventral pallidum (VP) neurons. Approach for statistical analysis: extracellular recordings were spike sorted using template matching and principal components analysis, Consecutive inter-spike intervals were then compared over periods of 1200 seconds for each treatment condition using a student’s t test. Results and conclusions: Our data suggests that excitatory responses to serotonin application are pre-synaptic in origin as blocking synaptic transmission with low-calcium aCSF abolished these responses. Our data also suggests that 5HT1a, 5HT5a and 5HT7 receptors contribute to this effect, potentially forming an oligomeric complex, as 5HT1a antagonists completely abolished excitatory responses to serotonin application, while 5HT5a and 5HT7 only reduced the magnitude of excitatory responses to serotonin. 5HT2c receptors were the only serotonin receptor sub-type tested that elicited inhibitory responses to serotonin application in the VP. These findings, combined with our previous data outlining the mechanisms underpinning dopamine's effects in the VP, provide key information, which will allow future research to fully examine the interplay between serotonin and dopamine in the VP. Investigation of dopamine and serotonins interaction may provide vital insights into our understanding of the VP's involvement in reward processing. It may also contribute to our understanding of how drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, may hijack these mechanisms in the VP resulting in sensitization to drugs of abuse