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Background: Durability (ie, the ability to attenuate the decline in performance after accumulated work) has been identified as a performance determinant in elite cyclists. The aim of the present study was to compare durability in elite cyclists of various performance levels, particularly after high-intensity work, referred to as "high-intensity durability." Methods: Forty-nine (N = 49) male road cyclists were categorized as either under 23 years of age (U23) (N = 11), Pro Team (N = 13), or World Tour (N = 24). The participants' critical power (CP) was assessed during the preseason. Thereafter, the participants' maximum mean power (MMP) values were determined for efforts of different durations (from 5 s to 30 min) after different levels of accumulated work above CP (from 0 to 7.5 kJ·kg−1). Results: U23 cyclists showed a significant reduction of all relative MMP values for durations ≥1 minute after ≥5 kJ·kg−1 above CP compared with the "fresh" state (0 kJ·kg−1), whereas in Pro Team and World Tour cyclists, a significant reduction was not observed until 7.5 kJ·kg−1 above CP. In the "fresh" state, both Pro Team and particularly World Tour cyclists attained higher MMP values for efforts ≥10 minutes than U23 riders. However, more differences emerged with greater previous work levels, and indeed after 7.5 kJ·kg−1 above CP World Tour cyclists attained higher MMP values than both U23 and Pro Team cyclists for most efforts (≥30 s). Conclusion: Pro Team and particularly World Tour cyclists tolerate greater levels of accumulated work at high intensity, which might support the importance of high-intensity durability for performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cochlear implants (CI) allow deaf patients to improve language perception and improving their emotional valence assessment. Electroencephalographic (EEG) measures were employed so far to improve CI programming reliability and to evaluate listening effort in auditory tasks, which are particularly useful in conditions when subjective evaluations are scarcely appliable or reliable. Unfortunately, the presence of CI on the scalp introduces an electrical artifact coupled to EEG signals that masks physiological features recorded by electrodes close to the site of implant. Currently, methods for CI artifact removal have been developed for very specific EEG montages or protocols, while others require many scalp electrodes. In this study, we propose a method based on the Multi-channel Wiener filter (MWF) to overcome those shortcomings. Nine children with unilateral CI and nine age-matched normal hearing children (control) participated in the study. EEG data were acquired on a relatively low number of electrodes (n = 16) during resting condition and during an auditory task. The obtained results obtained allowed to characterize CI artifact on the affected electrode and to significantly reduce, if not remove it through MWF filtering. Moreover, the results indicate, by comparing the two sample populations, that the EEG data loss is minimal in CI users after filtering, and that data maintain EEG physiological characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: No information is available on the torque/cadence relationship in road cyclists. We aimed to establish whether this relationship differs between cyclists of different performance levels or team roles. Methods: Mean maximal power (MMP) output data from 177 riders were obtained from 2012 to 2021 from training and competitions. Cyclists were categorized according to their performance level (world-tour [WT, n = 68], procontinental [PC, n = 63], or under 23 [U23, n = 46]) and team role (time trialists [n = 12], all-rounders [n = 94], climbers [n = 64], or team leaders [n = 7]). Results: A significant interaction effect was found for absolute and relative MMP (P <.001), with higher values in PC than WT for short (5–60 s) efforts and the opposite trend for longer durations. MMP was also greater in PC than in U23 for short efforts (30–60 s), with WT and PC attaining higher MMP than U23 for longer bouts (5–60 min). A significant interaction effect was found for cadence (P =.007, but with no post hoc differences) and absolute (P =.010) and relative torque (P =.002), with PC and WT showing significantly higher torque (all P <.05) than U23 for 5- to 60-minute efforts, yet with no differences between the former 2 performance levels. No interaction effect between team roles was found for cadence (P =.185) or relative torque (P =.559), but a significant interaction effect was found for absolute torque (P <.001), with all-rounders attaining significantly higher values than climbers for 5-second to 5-minute efforts. Conclusions: Differences in MMP between cycling performance levels and rider types are dependent on torque rather than cadence, which might support the role of torque development in performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have developed a predictive model for debris flows using machine learning techniques on a detailed dataset composed by a variety of geomorphological and hydro-meteorological variables. The variables of the dataset were collected from daily measured and modelled data for all of the drainage basins in which at least one debris-flow event was generated during the time period considered (2009-2019). The performances of the models obtained with different machine learning techniques were evaluated with the ROC analysis. The most suitable model was then experimentally implemented in the existing early warning system of the Aosta Valley Region. The model provides daily values of debris-flow probability (DFP) for individual basins, based on the input geo-morphological and hydro-meteorological variables. These results can be used to issue specific debris-flow alerts at the scale of the alert areas of the region.

Purpose: To investigate the relationship of field-derived power and physical performance parameters with competition success in road cycling climbing specialists of age-related categories and to explore cross-sectional differences between high-ranked (HIGHR) climbing specialists of each category. Methods: Fifty-three male climbers participated in this study (junior [JUN], n = 15; under 23 [U23], n = 21; professional [PRO], n = 17). Training and racing data collected during the 2016–19 competitive seasons were retrospectively analyzed for record power outputs (RPOs) and RPOs after prior accumulated work. Results: In JUN, body mass, absolute RPOs, and relative RPOs were higher in HIGHR compared with low ranked (d = 0.97–2.20, large; P =.097–.001); in U23 and PRO, the percentage decrease in RPOs after 20, 30, 40, and 50 kJ·kg−1 was less in HIGHR compared with low ranked (d = 0.77–1.74, moderate–large; P =.096–.004). JUN HIGHR presented lower absolute and relative RPO-20 min ( η p 2 =.34 −.38 , large; P =.099–.001) and higher percentage decrease in RPOs after prior accumulated work compared with U23 and PRO HIGHR ( η p 2 =.28 −.68 , large; P =.060–.001); percentage decrease in RPOs after prior accumulated work was the only parameter differentiating U23 and PRO HIGHR, with PRO declining less in relative RPO-1 min, RPO-5 min, and RPO-20 min after 20 to 50 kJ·kg−1 ( η p 2 =.28 −.68 , large; P =.090–.001). Conclusions: Superior absolute and relative RPOs characterize HIGHR JUN climbing specialists. Superior fatigue resistance differentiates HIGHR U23 and PRO climbers compared with low ranked, as well as PRO versus U23 climbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]