Predictions of the Distance Running Performances of Female Runners Using Different Tools.

This study examined the validity and compared the precision and accuracy of a distance-time linear model (DTLM), a power law and a nomogram to predict the distance running performances of female runners. Official rankings of French women ("senior" category: between 23 and 39 years old) for the 3000-m, 5000-m, and 10,000-m track-running events from 2005 to 2019 were examined. Performances of runners who competed in the three distances during the same year were noted (n=158). Mean values and standard deviation (SD) of actual performances were 11.28±1.33, 19.49±2.34 and 41.03±5.12 for the 3000-m, 5000-m, and 10,000-m respectively. Each performance was predicted from two other performances. Between the actual and predicted performances, only DTLM showed a difference (p<0.05). The magnitude of the differences in these predicted performances was small if not trivial. All predicted performances were significantly correlated with the actual ones, with a very high correlation coefficient (p<0.001; r>0.90), except for DTLM in the 3000-m, which showed a high correlation coefficient (p<0.001; r>0.895). Bias and 95% limits of agreement were acceptable because, whatever the method, they were≤-3.7±10.8% on the 3000-m, 1.4±4.3% on the 5000-m, and -2.5±7.4% on the 10,000-m. The study confirms the validity of the three methods to predict track-running performance and suggests that the most accurate and precise model was the nomogram followed by the power law, with the DTLM being the least accurate.

Prediction of Distance Running Performances of Female Runners Using Nomograms.

This study examined the validity, precision and accuracy of the predictions of distance running performances in female runners from three nomograms. Official rankings of French women for the 3000-m, 5000-m, and 10 000-m track-running events from 2005 to 2019 were examined. Only female runners who performed in the three distance events within the same year were included (n=158). Each performance over any distance was predicted using the three nomograms from the two other performances. The 3000-m, 5000-m and 10 000-m performances were 11min17 s±1min20 s, 19min29 s±2min20 s, 41min18 s±5min7 s, respectively. No difference was found between the actual and predicted running performances regardless of the nomogram (p>0.05). All predicted running performances were significantly correlated with the actual ones, with a very high correlation coefficient (p<0.001; r>0.90). Bias and 95% limits of agreement were acceptable because, whatever the nomogram, they were less than or equal to - 0.0±6.2% on the 3000-m, 0.0±3.7% on the 5000-m, and 0.1±9.3% on the 10 000-m. The study confirms the validity of the three nomograms to predict track-running performance with a high level of accuracy. The predictions from these nomograms are similar and may be used in training programs and competitions.

Reduction of liver fibrosis by rationally designed macromolecular telmisartan prodrugs.

At present there are no drugs for the treatment of chronic liver fibrosis that have been approved by the Food and Drug administration of the United States. Telmisartan, a small-molecule antihypertensive drug, displays antifibrotic activity, but its clinical use is limited because it causes systemic hypotension. Here, we report the scalable and convergent synthesis of macromolecular telmisartan prodrugs optimized for preferential release in diseased liver tissue. We optimized the release of active telmisartan in fibrotic liver to be depot-like (that is, a constant therapeutic concentration) through the molecular design of telmisartan brush-arm star polymers, and show that these lead to improved efficacy and to the avoidance of dose-limiting hypotension in both metabolically and chemically induced mouse models of hepatic fibrosis, as determined by histopathology, enzyme levels in the liver, intact-tissue protein markers, hepatocyte necrosis protection, and gene-expression analyses. In rats and dogs, the prodrugs are retained long-term in liver tissue and have a well-tolerated safety profile. Our findings support the further development of telmisartan prodrugs that enable infrequent dosing in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Publisher Correction: Reduction of liver fibrosis by rationally designed macromolecular telmisartan prodrugs.

In the version of this Article originally published, the author Peter Blume-Jensen was not denoted as a corresponding author; this has now been amended and the author's email address has been added. The 'Correspondence and requests for materials' statement was similarly affected and has now been updated with the author's initials 'P.B-J.'

Analytical solution of the kinetic equation for a uniform plasma in a magnetic field.

The kinetic equation for a single-component uniform plasma in a magnetic field is analytically solved by the moment method. The linear system of ordinary differential equations for the moments is decomposed into subsystems of lower dimensions by a geometric method. The eigensystem of each subsystem shows that parallel moments decay monotonically, but perpendicular lth harmonic moments decay while oscillating with the l,l-2,… ,-th harmonics of gyrofrequency. A generalization to a multicomponent plasma is discussed.