Stereopsis in sports: Visual skills and visuomotor integration models in professional and non-professional athletes

Visual skills in sport are considered relevant variables of athletic performance. However, data on the specific contribution of stereopsis—as the ability to perceive depth—in sport performance are still scarce and scattered in the literature. The aim of this review is therefore to take stock of the effects of stereopsis on the athletic performance, also looking at the training tools to improve visual abilities and potential differences in the visuomotor integration processes of professional and non-professional athletes. Dynamic stereopsis is mainly involved in catching or interceptive actions of ball sports, whereas strategic sports use different visual skills (peripheral and spatial vision) due to the sport-specific requirements. As expected, professional athletes show better visual skills as compared to non-professionals. However, both non-professional and professional athletes should train their visual skills by using sensory stations and light boards systems. Non-professional athletes use the visual inputs as the main method for programming motor gestures. In contrast, professional athletes integrate visual information with sport expertise, thus, they encode the match (or the athletic performance) through a more complex visuomotor integration system. Although studies on visual skills and stereopsis in sports still appear to be in their early stages, they show a large potential for both scientific knowledge and technical development

Strangeness production in heavy ion collisions at SPS and RHIC within two-source statistical model

The experimental data on hadron yields and ratios in central Pb+Pb and Au+Au collisions at SPS and RHIC energies, respectively, are analysed within a two-source statistical model of an ideal hadron gas. These two sources represent the expanding system of colliding heavy ions, where the hot central fireball is embedded in a larger but cooler fireball. The volume of the central source increases with rising bombarding energy. Results of the two-source model fit to RHIC experimental data at midrapidity coincide with the results of the one-source thermal model fit, indicating the formation of an extended fireball, which is three times larger than the corresponding core at SPS.Comment: Talk at "Strange Quarks in Matter" Conference (Strangeness'2001), September 2001, Frankfurt a.M., German

Lymph node ratio predicts efficacy of postoperative radiation therapy in nonmetastatic Merkel cell carcinoma: A population-based analysis

Background: After radical resection of a nonmetastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (M0 MCC), postoperative radiation therapy (RT) is recommended as it improves survival. However, the role of RT in specific subgroups of M0 MCC is unclear. We sought to identify whether there is a differential survival benefit from RT in specific M0 MCC patient subgroups. Methods: M0 MCC patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database registry were collected. The best prognostic age, tumor size, and lymph node ratio (LNR, ratio between positive lymph nodes and resected lymph nodes) cutoffs were calculated. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Results: A total of 5644 M0 MCC patients (median age 77 years, 62% male) were included: 4022 (71%) node-negative (N0) and 1551 (28%) node-positive (N+). Overall, 2682 patients (48%) received RT. Age > 76.5 years, tumor size >13.5 mm, and LNR >0.215 were associated with worse OS. RT was associated with longer OS in the M0 MCC, N0, and N+ group and independently associated with a 25%, 27%, and 26% reduction in the risk for death, respectively. RT benefit on survival was increased in tumor size >13.5 mm in the N0 group and LNR >0.215 in the N+ group. No OS benefit from RT was observed in T4 tumors (N0 and N+ groups). Conclusions: RT was associated with improved survival in M0 MCC, irrespective of the nodal status. LNR >0.215 is a useful prognostic factor for clinical decision-making and for stratification and interpretation of clinical trials

Calculation Of Secondary Particles In Atmosphere And Hadronic Interactions

Calculation of secondary particles produced by the interaction of cosmic rays with the nuclei of Earth's atmosphere pose important requirements to particle production models. Here we summarize the important features of hadronic simulations, stressing the importance of the so called ``microscopic'' approach, making explicit reference to the case of the FLUKA code. Some benchmarks are also presented.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures. Extended version of report given at the IInd Workshop on Matter and anti-Matter, Trento, Oct. 200

Buffering Adaptive Immunity by Hydrogen Sulfide

Abstract: T cell-mediated adaptive immunity is designed to respond to non-self antigens and pathogens through the activation and proliferation of various T cell populations. T helper 1 (Th1), Th2, Th17 and Treg cells finely orchestrate cellular responses through a plethora of paracrine and autocrine stimuli that include cytokines, autacoids, and hormones. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is one of these mediators able to induce/inhibit immunological responses, playing a role in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, neurological disorders, asthma, acute pancreatitis, and sepsis. Both endogenous and exogenous H2S modulate numerous important cell signaling pathways. In monocytes, polymorphonuclear, and T cells H2S impacts on activation, survival, proliferation, polarization, adhesion pathways, and modulates cytokine production and sensitivity to chemokines. Here, we offer a comprehensive review on the role of H2S as a natural buffer able to maintain over time a functional balance between Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg immunological responses

Nutritional status, yield and composition of peach fruit subjected to the application of organic compost.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutritional state, yield and composition of peaches on peach trees subjected to the application of organic compost to the soil. This experiment was conducted during the 2008 and 2009 cropping season in an orchard containing Chimarrita cultivars grafted onto Capdeboscq rootstocks and Haplumbrept soils in the municipality of Farroupilha (Rio Grande do Sul State), Brazil. The treatments included 0, 9, 18, 36, 72 and 144 liters of organic compost per plant-1 year-1. The total nutrient contents in the leaves, yield components, yields per plant and hectare and compositions of the fruits were evaluated in 2008 and 2009 soon after harvest and after 30 days of storage. The application of organic compost to the soil increased the yield components and the yields per plant and hectare in the two treatments with the highest compost additions, which indicated that the addition of 72 L of compost per plant-1 is ideal economically. The organic compost had little effect on the composition of the peach fruit after harvest and after 30 days of storage. Keywords: mineral nutrition, organic waste, Prunus persica. Estado nutricional, produção e composição de frutos de pessegueiros submetidos à aplicação de composto orgânico O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o estado nutricional, produção e composição de pêssegos em pessegueiros submetidos à aplicação de composto orgânico no solo. O experimento foi conduzido, na safra 2008 e 2009, em um pomar da cultivar Chimarrita, enxertada sobre o porta-enxerto Capdeboscq e cultivadas em um solo Cambissolo Húmico, no município de Farroupilha (Estado do Rio Grande do Sul). Os tratamentos foram 0, 9, 18, 36, 72 e 144 litros de composto orgânico por planta-1 ano-1. Avaliou-se o teor de nutrientes totais nas folhas, componentes de produção, produção por planta e hectare e a composição dos frutos em 2008 e 2009, logo depois da colheita e 30 dias após armazenamento. A aplicação de composto orgânico no solo, aumenta os valores de componentes de produção e a produção de pêssego por planta e hectare, nas duas maiores quantidades de composto fornecidas, o que economicamente indica a melhor dose de 72 L de composto por planta-1. A adição de composto orgânico na superfície do solo não afeta o estado nutricional e pouco afeta a composição dos pêssegos após a colheita e depois de 30 dias do armazenamento. Palavras-chave: nutrição mineral, resíduos orgânicos, Prunus persica

Colonização micorrízica e crescimento da videira (Vitis vinifera, Porta-Enxerto P1103) em solo com alto teor de cobre.

A aplicação de fungicidas cúpricos em vinhedos aumenta o teor de Cu no solo, potencializando a toxidez para a videira. Entretanto, tem sido relatado que os fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA) podem propiciar efeito protetor às plantas em solos contendo excesso de metais pesados. O trabalho objetivou avaliar a colonização micorrízica e o crescimento da videira (porta-enxerto P1103) em solo contendo elevados teores de Cu. Avaliou-se seis tratamentos de inoculação com FMA (Dentiscutata heterogama, Gigaspora gigantea, Acaulospora morrowiae, A. colombiana, Rhizophagus clarus e R. irregularis), além de um não inoculado. Verificou-se que a colonização micorrízica da videira foi elevada (média de 33%), mesmo em solo contendo excesso de Cu. A inoculação dos isolados de FMA testados pouco influenciou o crescimento da videira, mas a inoculação com R. irregulares e R. clarus beneficiou a produção de massa seca das raízes das mudas.Resumo expandido

Different waters for different performances: Can we imagine sport-related natural mineral spring waters?

Preserving the hydration status means to balance daily fluids and salt losses with gains, where the losses depend on several physiological and environmental factors. Especially for athletes, these losses could be relevant and negatively influence the performance: therefore, their hydro-saline status must be preserved with personalized pre-and rehydration plans all along the performance period. Scientific literature in this field is mainly dedicated to artificial sport drinks. Different territories in most world areas are rich in drinking natural mineral spring waters with saline compositions that reflect their geological origin and that are used for human health (often under medical prescription). However, scarce scientific attention has been dedicated to the use of these waters for athletes. We therefore reviewed the existing literature from the innovative viewpoint of matching spring water mineral compositions with different athletic performances and their hydro-saline requirements

Physical activity and redox balance in the elderly: Signal transduction mechanisms

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are molecules naturally produced by cells. If their levels are too high, the cellular antioxidant machinery intervenes to bring back their quantity to physiological conditions. Since aging often induces malfunctioning in this machinery, ROS are considered an effective cause of age-associated diseases. Exercise stimulates ROS production on one side, and the antioxidant systems on the other side. The effects of exercise on oxidative stress markers have been shown in blood, vascular tissue, brain, cardiac and skeletal muscle, both in young and aged people. However, the intensity and volume of exercise and the individual subject characteristics are important to envisage future strategies to adequately personalize the balance of the oxidant/antioxidant environment. Here, we reviewed the literature that deals with the effects of physical activity on redox balance in young and aged people, with insights into the molecular mechanisms involved. Although many molecular pathways are involved, we are still far from a comprehensive view of the mechanisms that stand behind the effects of physical activity during aging. Although we believe that future precision medicine will be able to transform exercise administration from wellness to targeted prevention, as yet we admit that the topic is still in its infancy