Determination of Alternaria spp. Habitats Using 7-Day Volumetric Spore Trap, Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model and Geographic Information System

There are many species among the Alternaria genus, which hosts on economically important crops causing significant yield losses. Less attention has been paid to fungi hosting on plants constituting substantial components of pastures and meadows. Alternaria spp. spores are also recognised as important allergens. A 7-day volumetric spore trap was used to monitor the concentration of airborne fungal spores. Air samples were collected in Worcester, England (2006–2010). Days with a high spore count were then selected. The longest episode that occurred within a five year study was chosen for modelling. Two source maps presenting distribution of crops under rotation and pastures in the UK were produced. Back trajectories were calculated using the HYSPLIT model. In ArcGIS clusters of trajectories were studied in connection with source maps by including the height above ground level and the speed of the air masses. During the episode no evidence for a long distance transport from the continent of Alternaria spp. spores was detected. The overall direction of the air masses fell within the range from South-West to North. The back trajectories indicated that the most important sources of Alternaria spp. spores were located in the West Midlands of England.

Validity and Test –retest Reliability of the TIVRE-Basket® Test for the Determination of Aerobic Power in Elite Male Basketball Players

The aims of this study were to 1) determine the relationship between performance on the court-based TIVRE-Basket® test and peak aerobic power determined from a criterion lab-based incremental treadmill test and 2) to examine the test-retest reliability of the TIVRE-Basket® test in elite male basketball players. To address aim 1, 36 elite male basketball players (age 25.2 + 4.7 years, weight 94.1 + 11.4 kg, height 195.83 + 9.6 cm) completed a graded treadmill exercise test and the TIVRE-Basket® within 72 hours. Mean distance recorded during the TIVRE-Basket® test was 4001.8 + 176.4m, and mean VO2 peak was 54.7 + 2.8 ml.kg.min-1, and the correlation between the two parameters was r=0.824 (P= <0.001). Linear regression analysis identified TIVRE-Basket® distance (m) as the only unique predictor of VO2 peak in a single variable plus constant model: VO2 peak = 2.595 + ((0.13* TIVRE-Basket® distance (m)). Performance on the TIVRE-Basket® test accounted for 67.8% of the variance in VO2 peak (t=8.466, P=<.001, 95% CI 0.01 - 0.016, SEE 1.61). To address aim 2, 20 male basketball players (age 26.7±4.2; height 1.94±0.92; weight 94.0±9.1) performed the TIVRE-Basket® test on two occasions. There was no significant difference in total distance covered between Trial 1 (4138.8 + 677.3m) and Trial 2 (4188.0 + 648.8m; t = 0.5798, P = 0.5688). Mean difference between trials was 49.2 + 399.5m, with an ICC of 0.85 suggesting a moderate level of reliability. Standardised TEM was 0.88%, representing a moderate degree of trial to trial error, and the CV was 6.3%. The TIVRE-Basket® test therefore represents a valid and moderately reliable court-based sport-specific test of aerobic power for use with individuals and teams of elite level male basketball players. Future research is required to ascertain its validity and reliability in other basketball populations e.g. across age groups, at different levels of competition, in females and in different forms of the game e.g. wheelchair basketball.