The calcium channel blocker, Nimodipine, inhibits spinal reflex pathways in humans.

Voltage-sensitive calcium channels contribute to depolarization of both motor- and interneurons in animal studies, but less is known of their contribution to human motor control and whether blocking them has potential in future antispasmodic treatment in humans. Therefore, this study investigated the acute effect of Nimodipine on the transmission of human spinal reflex pathways involved in spasticity. In a double-blinded, cross-over study, we measured soleus muscle stretch- and H-reflexes, and tibialis anterior cutaneous reflexes in nineteen healthy subjects before and after Nimodipine (tab-let 60mg) or Baclofen (tablet 25mg).

Specializing When It Counts: Comparing the Dose-Time Effect of Distance Variety between Swimming and Track Running.

Objective: To conduct a longitudinal retrospective analysis, explore the relationship between success at peak performance age and the number of different race distances athletes competed in each year (within-sport distance variety), and compare the dose-time effect of this distance variety throughout the development process between male swimmers and track runners.

Methodology: Male swimmers ( = 6033) and track runners ( = 19,278) still competing at peak performance age were ranked, and the number of different race distances was extracted retrospectively for each year until early junior age (13-14-year-old category) from the databases of the European Aquatics and World Athletics federations. Firstly, correlation analysis determined the relationship between ranking at peak performance age and distance variety.

Sprinting to the top: comparing quality of distance variety and specialization between swimmers and runners.

Objectives: To compare performance progression and variety in race distances of comparable lengths (timewise) between pool swimming and track running. Quality of within-sport variety was determined as the performance differences between individual athletes' main and secondary race distances across (top-) elite and (highly-) trained swimmers and runners.

Methods: A total of 3,827,947 race times were used to calculate performance points (race times relative to the world record) for freestyle swimmers ( = 12,588 males and  = 7,561 females) and track runners ( = 9,230 males and  = 5,841 females).

Mold Odor from Wood Treated with Chlorophenols despite Mold Growth That Can Only Be Seen Using a Microscope.

We previously reported that indoor odorous chloroanisoles (CAs) are still being emitted due to microbial methylation of hazardous chlorophenols (CPs) present in legacy wood preservatives. Meanwhile, Swedish researchers reported that this malodor, described since the early 1970s, is caused by hazardous mold. Here, we examined to what extent CP-treated wood contains mold and if mold correlates with perceived odor.