Differences in running performance of single- and group-housed mice

Mice are one of several common animal models in neuroscience and mouse behavior is becoming increasingly relevant. Mice are housed either in groups or alone in standard cages during which they show a variety of different behaviors. Moreover, housing conditions might alter the behavior of the mice as do social interactions. When given access to running wheels as an environmental enrichment, mice tend to run long distances preferentially during their dark cycle. However, it is currently not well understood whether and how mice utilize running wheels when single-housed or group-housed. Here we developed a low-cost running wheel data acquisition system to study running in adult C57BL/6 mice at high temporal resolution under different social conditions. As expected, adult C57BL/6 mice prefer to run in stretches during the dark cycle and mostly rest during the light cycle. When single-housed, running bouts occur independent from each other as indicated by an exponential decaying autocorrelation. In contrast, mice run ~50% less when housed in groups of n = 3 and their temporal pattern of running exhibits a power law decay in the autocorrelation indicative of potential social interactions. Our results demonstrate that running wheels are a limited resource for which mice compete for when they are group-housed, thereby reducing their overall running activity.

The Effects of Match Congestion on Physical Performance in Football Referees

We examined the changes in performance during congested (two matches within a 7-day interval) and non-congested (one match within≥7-day interval) fixtures in 17 elite football (soccer) referees during 181 official matches. External demands comprised 20 GPS-based metrics. Internal load was assessed by heart rate and rating of perceived exertion. Compared to non-congested fixtures, referees decreased their running distance at 21–24 km·h−1 (p=0.027, effect size [ES]=0.41) and > 24 km·h−1 (p=0.037, ES=0.28), the number of sprints (p=0.012, ES=0.29), and distance sprinting (p=0.022, ES=0.29) in congested matches. Most play metrics were lower in congested versus non-congested fixtures with low-to-moderate ES. During the 2nd half of non-congested fixtures, referees covered larger distances at low-speed running (p=0.025, ES=0.47). Match congestion due to officiating two matches less than a week apart caused a notable decrease in match running activity in professional football referees, especially at above 21 km·h−1. These data reiterate the need for specific conditioning and post-match recovery strategies in high-level referees to ensure optimal judgment performance favouring the quality of the competition. Governing bodies should take these outcomes into account when designating referees for a match.

The Food-entrainable Oscillator Is a Complex of Non-SCN Activity Bout Oscillators Uncoupled From the SCN Circadian Pacemaker

The food-entrainable oscillator, which underlies the prefeeding activity peak developed by restricted daily feeding (RF) in rodents, does not depend on the circadian pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) or on the known clock genes. In the present study, to clarify the roles of SCN circadian pacemaker and nutrient conditions on the development of prefeeding activity peak, RF of 3-h daily feeding was imposed on four groups of adult male mice for 10 cycles at different circadian times, zeitgeber time (ZT)2, ZT8, ZT14, and ZT20, where ZT0 is the time of lights-on in LD12:12. Seven days after the termination of RF session with ad libitum feeding in between, total food deprivation (FD) for 72 h was imposed. Wheel-running activity and core body temperature were measured throughout the experiment. Immediately after the RF or FD session, the PER2::LUC rhythms were measured in the cultured SCN slices and peripheral tissues. Not only the buildup process and magnitude of the prefeeding activity peak, but also the percentages of nocturnal activity and hypothermia developed under RF were significantly different among the four groups, indicating the involvement of light entrained circadian pacemaker. The buildup of prefeeding activity peak was accomplished by either phase-advance or phase-delay shifts (or both) of activity bouts comprising a nocturnal band. Hypothermia under FD was less prominent in RF-exposed mice than in naïve counterparts, indicating that restricted feeding increases tolerance to caloric restriction as well as to the heat loss mechanism. RF phase-shifted the peripheral clocks but FD did not affect the clocks in any tissue examined. These findings are better understood by assuming multiple bout oscillators, which are located outside the SCN and directly drive activity bouts uncoupled from the circadian pacemaker by RF or hypothermia.

Urban Running Activity Detected Using a Seismic Sensor during COVID-19 Pandemic

Human foot traffic in urban environments provides essential information for city planners to manage the urban resources and urban residents to plan their activities. Compared to camera or mobile-based solutions, seismic sensors detect human footstep signals with fewer privacy concerns. However, seismic sensors often record signals generated from multiple sources, particularly in an urban outdoor environment. In this article, we monitor people’s running activities during COVID-19 pandemic with a seismic sensor in a park in Singapore. We compare the spectra of natural and urban events in the recorded seismic data. For each 3 s seismic data, we define hierarchical screening criteria to identify footsteps based on the spectrum of the signal and its envelope. We derive the cadence of each runner by detecting the primary frequency of the footstep signals. The resulting algorithm achieves higher accuracy and higher temporal resolution for weak and overlapping signals compared to existing methods. Runner statistics based on four-month long seismic data show that urban running activities have clear daily and weekly cycles. Lockdown measures to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic promoted running activities, particularly over the weekends. Cadence statistics show that morning runners have higher cadence on average.

A ATUAÇÃO DA FISIOTERAPIA NA PREVENÇÃO DA SÍNDROME DO ESTRESSE TIBIAL MEDIAL EM CORREDORES

Medial tibial stress syndrome is a common injury due to mechanical overload, especially in athletes, causing local inflammation and bone stress. Street running has become increasingly popular, being one of the most practiced physical activities in recent years. The aim of this research is to identify how the assistance of sports physiotherapy professionals would contribute to the care offered to the runner with regards to the prevention of the syndrome. The methodology present in this study is based on a literature review research. The role of the physiotherapist is essential to prevent medial tibial stress, since this professional will be able to guide the runner during his activity. Once injured, the initial treatment requires resting and caring and a pause in the running activity, so that the physiotherapist can treat the injury, and in this way, the runner progressively tends to return to training and running.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic has Changed the Game of Soccer

This study explores the influence of corona-specific training and playing conditions - especially empty stadiums - on match performance, contact behavior, and home advantage in the Bundesliga (BL) and Bundesliga 2 (BL2). We analyzed the 2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20 seasons and compared matches in rounds 26–34 before shutdown with “ghost” matches after restart. Results show increased running activity for high intensity distance: (+ 6.1%) and total distance covered (+ 4.3%). In BL2 in particular there were also changes in tactical aspects of the game (time in last third: –6.3%, pressure on pass receiver: –8.6%, success of attacking duels: –7.9%, share of long passes completed: + 15.6%, outplayed opponents per pass: –14.7%). Contact time to other players (< 2 m distance) was 15:35 mins per match. After restart, contact was reduced, especially when the ball was not in the last third (–11.2%). Away wins increased by +44.2% in BL and the home-away difference in yellow cards changed in favor of the away team (+31.2%) in BL2. We conclude that empty stadiums have reduced home advantage and decreased referee bias when awarding yellow cards. Player behavior might have been affected by tactical demands and/or conscious or unconscious self-protection.

“However, he did not switch to walking”: the experience of a philosophical research of collective endurance running

The object of this research is the collective endurance running as a social phenomenon of the XX &ndash; XXI&nbsp;centuries. The subject of this research is the spiritual grounds of the person&rsquo;s choice and the sociocultural components of the existence of collective endurance running viewed in their interrelation. The article leans on the scientific approach and general methodological principles of scientific study, dialectical method, as well as ideas and values of the concept of humanism. The author set the following tasks: determine the social grounds and factors of proliferation endurance running in contemporary history; explore the peculiarities of interaction between running locomotion and unconscious aspect of the personality of amateur athlete; explicate the impact of long-distance running upon metaphysical component of the spiritual world of a &ldquo;running&rdquo; person; outline the social needs fulfilled by cultivation and propaganda of the positive impact of long-distance running practices; determine the problematic field of the &ldquo;philosophy of running&rdquo;.&nbsp;The novelty of this work lies in description of the worldview foundations of running activity of the amateur long-distance runners.&nbsp;These foundations are viewed as the main reason for proliferation of endurance running in modern society, as well as the semantic core of the problematic field of the &ldquo;philosophy of running&rdquo;. The metaphysical component of mentality of the &ldquo;running&rdquo; person via a long running effort goes back to the transcendent beginning of its existence; amateur endurance running provides selection of the most effective adaptive skills; forms an autotelic personality oriented towards the mode of &ldquo;being&rdquo;, rather than &ldquo;possessing&rdquo;; serves as a component of environmental movements and charity campaigns, a form of socialization of people with impairments; has a powerful educational potential. Being the basis of most athletic movements, running&nbsp;can be viewed as the &ldquo;initial cell&rdquo; that determines the impact of sport practices upon the human mind and body, as well as the current stage of social development.&nbsp;In relation to a human, such impact can be described by the word &ldquo;kalokagathia&rdquo;, while in relation to society &ndash; by the terms &ldquo;humanism&rdquo; "and &ldquo;democracy&rdquo;.

Skeletal Muscle Transcriptome Alterations Related to Physical Function Decline in Older Mice

One inevitable consequence of aging is the gradual deterioration of physical function and exercise capacity, driven in part by the adverse effect of age on muscle tissue. Our primary purpose was to determine the relationship between patterns of gene expression in skeletal muscle and this loss of physical function. We hypothesized that some genes changing expression with age would correlate with functional decline, or conversely with preservation of function. Male C57BL/6 mice (6-months old, 6m, 24-months, 24m, and 28+-months, 28m; all n=8) were tested for physical ability using a comprehensive functional assessment battery (CFAB). CFAB is a composite scoring system comprised of five functional tests: rotarod (overall motor function), grip strength (fore-limb strength), inverted cling (4-limb strength/endurance), voluntary wheel running (activity rate/volitional exercise), and treadmill (endurance). We then extracted total RNA from the tibialis anterior muscle, analyzed with Next Generation Sequencing RNAseq to determine differential gene expression during aging, and compared these changes to physical function. Aging resulted in gene expression differences >│1.0│ log2 fold change (multiple comparison adjusted p<0.05) in 219 genes in the 24m and in 6587 genes in the 28m. Linear regression with CFAB determined 253 differentially expressed genes strongly associated (R>0.70) with functional status in the 28m, and 22 genes in the 24m. We conclude that specific age-related transcriptomic changes are associated with declines in physical function, providing mechanistic clues. Future work will establish the underlying cellular mechanisms and the physiological relevance of these genes to age-related loss of physical function.

A Novel Running Wheel Mouse Model for Botulism and its use for the Evaluation of Post-Symptom Antitoxin Efficacy

Antitoxin is currently the only approved therapy for botulinum intoxications. The efficacy of antitoxin preparations is evaluated in animals. However, while in practice antitoxin is administered to patients only after symptom onset, in most animal studies, it is tested in relation to time post intoxication. This may be attributed to difficulties in quantitating early botulism symptoms in animals. In the current study, a novel system based on high-resolution monitoring of mouse activity on a running wheel was developed to allow evaluation of post-symptom antitoxin efficacy. The system enables automatic and remote monitoring of 48 mice simultaneously. Based on the nocturnal activity pattern of individual naïve mice, two criteria were defined as the onset of symptoms. Post-symptom treatment with a human-normalized dose of antitoxin was fully protective in mice exposed to 4 LD50 of BoNT/A and BoNT/B. Moreover, for the first time, a high protection rate was obtained in mice treated post-symptomatically, following a challenge with BoNT/E, the fastest acting BoNT. The running wheel system was further modified to develop a mouse model for the evaluation of next-generation therapeutics for progressive botulism at time points where antitoxin is not effective. Exposure of mice to 0.3 LD50 of BoNT/A resulted in long-lasting paralysis and a reduction in running activity for 16-18 days. Antitoxin treatment was no longer effective when administered 72 hr post intoxication, defining the time window to evaluate next-generation therapeutics. Altogether, the running wheel systems presented herein offer quantitative means to evaluate the efficacy of current and future anti-botulinum drugs.