The joint evolution of movement and competition strategies

Competition typically takes place in a spatial context, but eco-evolutionary models rarely address the the joint evolution of movement and competition strategies. Here we investigate a spatially explicit producer-scrounger model where consumers can either forage on a heterogeneous resource landscape or steal prey from conspecifics (kleptoparasitism). We compare different scenarios for the interaction of movement and competition strategies. In all cases, movement strategies evolve rapidly and consistently across replicate simulations. At equilibrium, foragers do not match the prey input rate, contrary to 'ideal free' predictions. We show that this is related to the intrinsic difficulty of moving effectively on a depleted landscape with few reliable cues for movement. The evolved movement strategies of kleptoparasites differ markedly from those of foragers. Even within each competition strategy, polymorphisms emerge, corresponding to individual differences in movement rules. Our study emphasises the advantages of a mechanistic approach when studying competition in a spatial context.

ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT INJURIES OF BASKETBALL PLAYERS BASED ON SURFACE ELECTROMYOGRAPHY

ABSTRACT Assessing the performance of basketball players is very important in the implementation of technical training programs. The application of electromyography (EMG) in basketball players is still relatively small. The evaluation of athletes’ muscle state index by EMG can guide sports training. This study used surface electromyography to test and compare EMG data, analyze muscle discharge timing, contribution rate and integral EMG value of the turning movement, aiming to explore the prevention mechanism of different types of injury affecting basketball players. The synchronous measurement model of EMG signal and plantar pressure curve in jump shot process of basketball players is established to deepen coaches’ understanding of jump shot movement rules and guide athletes to conduct scientific jump shot training. The research shows that the incidence of knee joint injury is relatively high in basketball players. Patella strain and softening, knee meniscus injury and cruciate ligament injury are the main types of injury, and there is no difference between genders.

Lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robot: A review

Lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots (LLRERs) play a positive role in lower limb rehabilitation and assistance for patients with lower limb disorders, and they are helpful to improve patients’ physical status. More and more experiments pay more attention to the kinematic and dynamic data characteristics of different patient groups. However, it is not clear whether these devices have broad adaptability and their clinical significance, so it is necessary to summarize and analyze these research results. This paper summarizes the LLRERs prototype and product in recent years, also compares the advantages and disadvantages of the theory and technology used in these research, and compares the functional characteristics of the devices, finally summarizes the aspects of the LLRERs to be improved. These devices apply advanced theories, techniques or structures, as well as human kinematics and dynamics data. However, due to the complexity of human body characteristics and movement rules, the theory or technology applied in the study design of LLRERs remains to be further studied, which can be improved in many aspects, such as improve the human-computer cooperation of equipment or carry out clinical trials. This paper can provide reference for researchers and designers in the future study, as well as understanding and selecting LLRERs for all kinds of therapist and patients.

“Laws of Fear” in the EU: The Precautionary Principle and Public Health Restrictions to Free Movement of Persons in the Time of COVID-19

COVID-19 has demonstrated the fragility of EU free movement rules when we are faced with an unknown virus of such magnitude and strength that it threatens our lives, health systems, economies and society. The aim of this text is to show the dynamics between the threat of COVID-19 and the rules imposed as a response to the pandemic, which have impacted the functioning of the EU internal market and the Schengen area. The text will concentrate on the application of the precautionary principle and public health restrictions, caused by COVID-19, to free movement of persons in the EU. The analysis will lead to three conclusions. First, it will be shown that the decisions to apply free movement restrictions and the logic followed in the EU COVID-19-related documents can be viewed as a triumph of the precautionary principle. Second, it will be argued that implementing the precautionary principle has a transformative effect on the application of the principle of proportionality in EU law. Finally, it will be shown that COVID-19 has emphasised and increased the difference between the conditions for the applicability of public health restrictions when compared to restrictions based on public policy and public security grounds.

EU Law and the Discretion of Private National Decision-Makers in Light of the Court's Judgement in Case C-22/18 TopFit and Biffi

This contribution aims to introduce the reader to a judgement from the Court of Justice which seems to broaden the scope of application of EU free movement rules to private regulatory bodies in two ways. One the one hand, this judgment expands our understanding of what type of private regulation can fall within this scope. On the other hand, it shows that EU law requires a private prior authorisation scheme to be infused with the same objectivity safeguards as those that have been required for public ones.

RangeShifter 2.0: An extended and enhanced platform for modelling spatial eco-evolutionary dynamics and species’ responses to environmental changes

Process-based models are becoming increasingly used tools for understanding how species are likely to respond to environmental changes and to potential management options. RangeShifter is one such modelling platform, which has been used to address a range of questions including identifying effective reintroduction strategies, understanding patterns of range expansion and assessing population viability of species across complex landscapes.Here we introduce a new version, RangeShifter 2.0, which incorporates important new functionality. It is now possible to simulate dynamics over user-specified, temporally changing landscapes. Additionally, the genetic and evolutionary capabilities have been strengthened, notably by introducing an explicit genetic modelling architecture, which allows for simulation of neutral and adaptive genetic processes. Furthermore, emigration, transfer and settlement rules can now all evolve, allowing for sophisticated simulation of the evolution of dispersal. We illustrate the potential application of RangeShifter 2.0’s new functionality by two examples. The first illustrates the range expansion of a virtual species across a dynamically changing UK landscape. The second demonstrates how the software can be used to explore the concept of evolving connectivity in response to land-use modification, by examining how movement rules come under selection over landscapes of different structure and composition.RangeShifter 2.0 is built using object-oriented C++ providing computationally efficient simulation of complex individual-based, eco-evolutionary models. The code has been redeveloped to enable use across operating systems, including on high performance computing clusters, and the Windows GUI has been enhanced. Furthermore, the recoding of the package has supported the development of a new version running under the R platform, RangeShiftR.RangeShifter 2.0 will facilitate the development of in-silico assessments of how species will respond to environmental changes and to potential management options for conserving or controlling them. By making the code available open source, we hope to inspire further collaborations and extensions by the ecological community.

Gradation and Rheological Characteristics of Glacial Debris Flow along the Kangding–Linzhi Section of Sichuan–Tibet Railway

To date, most research on the characteristics of glacial debris flow along the Sichuan–Tibet railway has focused on numerical simulations and remote sensing, resulting in a lack of direct experimental data from debris flow samples. Therefore, in the present study, a field investigation was conducted along the Sichuan–Tibet railway, and 55 samples of glacial debris flow deposits were systematically analyzed to determine their grading and rheological properties. This is the first systematic experimental study on glacial debris flow deposits. The results showed that the proportion of coarse particles was high and the proportion of fine particles was low in the glacial debris flow along the Sichuan–Tibet railway. The average gravel and sand contents were 37.8% and 58%, respectively, and the average contents of silt and clay were 3.7% and 0.47%, respectively. The average fractal dimension was 2.1507, which is much greater than that of viscous debris flow. Under the same gravity and shear rate, the stress of typical glacial debris flow was significantly less than that of viscous debris flow, whereas the variability of the stress was more significant. These findings will contribute to revealing the movement rules and disaster risk of glacier debris flow along the Sichuan–Tibet railway and have considerable theoretical and practical significance for ensuring safety during both its construction and later operation.